Cosmic Squadron Stellarman
by starofjustice
Summary: This is my attempt at writing a Super Sentai. Please review. Daniel, Aki, Caitlin, Cliff and especially Bohdi aren't your normal teens. They have celestial powers, and only they can stop Proxordo from bringing its unique brand of salvation to our world
1. Phase 1: Contact

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 1: Contact

By David Anderson

The clock said 3:37 a.m.

Every other building Daniel could see from Johnny's second-floor window was dark except for the occasional flickering light of a TV screen.

In front of them sheets and sheets of equations spread across the floor like a field of gibberish reaching toward infinity.

Why the hell were they still awake?

"Johnny, it's only the first test of the semester. You can make up for it later," Daniel said. He shook a can of Red Bull, heard a faint sloshing and downed the precious pair of energizing drops still inside. He blinked at the pages of numbers a few times but his friend's grasp of calculus didn't look any stronger than it had when he'd still been able to tell one number from another.

"No way, man!" Johnny protested and vainly tried to sort pages of work for the umpteenth time. He was shortish and skinny, with a mop of brown hair always unkempt no matter how often he combed. Daniel, on the other hand, was tall, athletic, and dark, though if it was from heredity or a gift for getting tan, he wasn't telling.

"If I blow the first test, that's it. The teacher'll think I'm just a dummy tryin' to get his requirements out of the way," Johnny continued.

"Aren't you?"

Johnny made a dismissive "tff" noise, and really, nothing more needed be said. It was the rare student who bragged about being kicked out of another school for dating a teacher and wasn't kidding.

Daniel stood up. "Look, Johnny, if I'm doing anything at all, it's just holding you back. You want to understand this crap, wake up Anne or Steve or somebody who's actually good at this stuff."

"C'mon, Danny! I'd pull an all-nighter to help you get a girl you wanted!" Johnny begged.

"You gonna give me another one of those stupid coupons?" Daniel replied. "I got the other four right here. And don't call me that." He sighed. "Listen, John, I'm sorry but I'm no good with numbers even when I'm awake. You should've asked Anne or Steve and you should've asked three days ago."

Before John could talk him out of it, Daniel was walking away from the off-campus housing and back toward Gordon Hall.

Daniel cursed under his breath. John was going to be sore at him the next time they met, but maybe it'd finally teach him to think ahead instead of just getting a friend to share his problems right before disaster struck. Daniel pondered hitting the Gulp and Go for a late night snack when he realized that standing not ten feet away was a dark figure, watching him.

"Can I help you?" Daniel asked.

"Could be," the watcher replied in a voice he didn't recognize. "You want to save the world?"

"Maybe after I get some sleep," Daniel said and started walking again.

"Come with me and you'll never have to sleep again," the watcher said.

"What?"

"You heard me," he replied, his tone a bit lighter. Almost snickering. He came closer.

"Don't make me hurt you, pal," Daniel warned.

"Try it kid, right here," he challenged and indicated his chin. Daniel was so sleep-deprived and fed up, he did something very foolish. He gave the idiot his wish. He slammed his fist into the man's stomach and immediately his entire arm went numb. It felt like he'd punched the side of a tank, and he wasn't sure he hadn't heard something crack.

"How'd _you_ like to be able to do that, kid?" the man asked with a chortle.

"Stay back buddy, or I swear I'm gonna make you regret it," Daniel snapped.

The man scoffed. "Sure, kid. Hit me right here." He indicated his chin.

Daniel threw another punch, but before it landed his body flashed with a red light. The man flew fifteen feet before slamming into the side of the campus library. Daniel didn't wait to see if he got up; the next second he was bolting for Robinson Hall and the main security desk there.

The familiar lights had just come into sight when suddenly they vanished again, and it didn't take Daniel long to realize two men had jumped in front of him.

"He runs from the truth," said one.

"He fights those that deliver it," agreed the other. Each pulled out a short club with a diamond-shaped ornament on the end, shimmering a soft white. Daniel went into a defensive stance but before he could blink they were attacking with inhuman speed. He managed to dodge one swing, then another, then felt a stabbing pain in his side. The next thing he saw was the glowing head of one weapon speeding toward him, then he saw nothing at all.

* * *

"--seven students were assaulted last night--"

"They just hit him over and over--"

"--and he picked up a car like he was Superman or something!"

"--four are still missing as of this morning."

There's news reports in Hell? Daniel wonder. He started to open his eyes when a sharp blow in the ribs did the job for him. He saw he was in a dark warehouse sort of building with dirt caking the windows high on the walls while ragged stacks of boxes decorated the floor space. Daniel's attention was drawn to the figure directly in front of him, however, a man with dull golden skin and empty eyes the color of bronze. In one hand he held a baton with a glowing diamond-shaped head.

"You shoulda listened to me, kid," he sneered in the voice of the person who'd been his punching bag before. "Doesn't matter now."

"What are you talkin' about?" Daniel demanded. He tried to lash out only to realize his arms and legs were chained to a beam.

"If you woulda said yes you'd already know," his captor replied and walked through a nearby door where the babble of news coverage came. Unattended, Daniel struggled and pulled but the chains held fast. He tried to call up his energy, but thought better of it. Who knew where the nearest exit was, and how many of the golden things there were beaten him and it. To say nothing of any outside. Better to wait. A chance would come.

Daniel tried to hop to one side to see if there was anything around he might use to help him escape, but there was no slack. It was all he could do to crane his neck and see a TV just inside the door that was giving off the news bytes he'd been hearing. On it he saw an anchorman's face with stock indexes flickering in and out in one corner, but it flashed and was replaced by an image of a person wearing a metallic white helmet with an eagle-like visor. He heard cheering and whistling from the other room.

"People of this planet," he spoke in a slow, booming voice. "I am Amro Vayon. Wipe thoughts of aliens and higher beings from your minds, I am merely a man like the rest of you. I am commandeering the airwaves simply to warn you all that our world is in peril. We are destroying our planet and calling it progress, and our leaders attack enemies that exist only in their imaginations.

"None of this knowledge is new, but still we wait and hope the problems will simply go away. They will not, children, and the door is closing on our opportunity to solve them. But I have seen the Truth, and I wish to give this gift to my people before it is too late.

"For the past several days I have had my followers travel to many cities and seek out those willing to correct the many problems facing our world. However," he paused, "it has come to my attention that many misinterpreted my instructions and took recruits by force. I extend my deepest apologies, and they will be set free at once."

A chorus of "WHAT?!" escaped the other room. Daniel smirked.

Vayon continued. "Such a negative first impression is regrettable, but it does not change the facts. I can deliver salvation, if you will accept it. Those who wish to join me need not worry…we will find you." There was a buzz and Vayon's face disappeared from the screen to be replaced by the newsroom.

"You heard him," said a voice. "Go cut 'em loose."

"What about…him?" said the voice of punching bag.

"Of course not. You guys go put him in the van and drop him off." Daniel didn't like the sound of that, and liked it even less when four of the metal men walked out, slashed through his chains with their batons and frog-marched him into the back half of a dusty van. Two got in the back with him, including Punching Bag. They locked the doors, seated themselves between the exit and Daniel, and a minute later they were moving.

Daniel sized up his guards. With their empty eyes they were hard to read, but the way they kept their batons upward and ready to bring into action spoke volumes. After a few minutes he cleared his throat and asked, "So, how do you guys think the Bolts are gonna do this year?"

"Shut up," snarled Punching Bag.

The other laughed. "You think you can put us off-guard or something, don't you? Pathetic."

"Come on, guys. I'm guessing I'm not one of the ones you're letting go, and you're probably not gonna tell me where we're going. At least let me feel comfortable on the ride over."

"Shut up!" Punching Bag warned but his companion narrowed his eyes and Punching Bag himself fell silent.

"We're not the bad guys, kid. I'll tell you. You whomped genius over there with your bare hands, and our boss wants to know how."

"If you ain't the bad guys, you'd let me decide if I want to tell," Daniel countered.

"That's one of the reasons the world needs saving in the first place, kid. People think they have to be asked nice. Simple fact there's a problem isn't enough."

Daniel grimaced. All because one idiot had decided to give him trouble in the middle of the night. If only something would take their attention off him, just for a second…

He leaned to look out one window to see where they were headed but Punching Bag pointed his baton at Daniel's head and he returned to his seat. "Can we at least stop by my place so I can get a book?" Daniel asked. Punching Bag growled and the other chortled. Daniel glowered and sat back. He was on the verge of nodding off a few minutes later when there was an explosion and the van skidded to the side of the road. His guards' metal features gaped in surprise for just a second, and Daniel didn't waste it. He gathered all his energy in his fists then lunged forward, punching each in the face at once then kicked open the door and ran out at top speed. Suddenly, another figure jumped in his way.

"I'm getting tired of this!" Daniel yelled and braced himself for another attack, but it didn't come.

"Relax, I'm on your side," said the figure in a voice too deep to be human. It was true he didn't look like the ones who'd just attacked Daniel. He was as brawny as any Bolts linebacker Daniel had ever seen, clad in a black muscle shirt and matching jeans, offsetting his ivory white skin. His bald head was the shape of a square, with a thin gash for a mouth and tiny black beads for eyes. He had no ears or neck Daniel could see. Behind him was a white and blue car-like vehicle, except it had no wheels. On the sides was an insignia of a ring of stars surrounding the letters SDA.

The man, if indeed he could be called that, gripped Daniel by the shoulders and looked about to say something, but stopped and peered over Daniel's shoulder. Daniel looked for himself and saw the weird metal men getting out of the back of the van staggering and shaking their heads.

"A little crash like that couldn't hurt Risen…did you do something to them?" the man asked.

"I don't want any trouble, buddy, but I've had a hell of a night and I'm liable to go off if you keep standing in my way," Daniel warned him.

Out of the car thing climbed three teenagers, a scrawny boy with glasses and sandy brown hair, and two girls, one with a cascade of glistening black hair that made Daniel think of Ireland, and an Asian with tightly muscled arms and legs. "What're we waitin' for, Bohdi?" demanded the boy with the glasses. "They're right over there, let's go bust 'em up!"

"Cliff, I thought I told you to wait in the Advancer til I got you," the square-headed one, obviously Bohdi, replied. There was an edge of annoyance in his voice. "Never mind, let's go. Cosmic Evolution!"

"Cosmic Evolution!" the other three echoed. Each glowed a different color, the bespectacled kid, yellow, the Asian, dark blue, the dark-haired girl pink, and the square-headed stranger in front of Daniel black. He didn't have time to wonder how something could glow black before the light _solidified_ into uniforms and helmets with darkened visors and gleaming black and white guns holstered at the hip. On the chest and forehead of each was a bright white star.

"Stellarman, we meet again," Punching Bag smiled and clenched his fists.

"Get ready to lose again," Black replied.

"You think we came by ourselves this time?! Prox Chain, how 'bout some help out here?!" Punching Bag laughed. The van suddenly exploded, and out of the blast floated a humanoid shape. It was covered in shining black armor edged with silver, with red chains wound around its arms, legs and chest. It landed and opened its eyes, the same dull bronze as the Risen.

"The Truth overpowers all, in the end," he said while whirling a length threateningly.

"Stay by the Advancer," Black told Daniel, then led the four of them in a charge. With effortless ease he grabbed a Risen by the arm, flipped the metal man onto his back and delivered an elbow drop the stomach before lifting the fallen foe and throwing him into three other Risen.

Yellow jumped into the air, drew his gun and . Explosions went up all over the area and blew Risen somersaulting into the air. Pink and Blue dashed between the disoriented Risen, Blue knocking two off their feet with a sweep kick while Pink jumped and clotheslined another two.

With his followers being trounced, Prox Chain joined in. He wrapped one coil around a huge rock and swung it like a mace at Blue and Pink. They backflipped out of the way just in time, and Yellow launched a jump kick at his head. The monster ducked at the last second then flung a chain that hit Yellow in the back and sent him somersaulting to the side of the road. Black drew his gun, flipped down the barrel to reveal a blade and slashed at the monster but even though the weapon sent sparks flying Prox Chain didn't seem hurt at all. An instant later a chain snaked out of the dirt behind Black and lashed across his shoulders. While he staggered forward the chain curled around his waist and threw him into Yellow.

"All together!" Black ordered. Each Stellarman drew their gun and shot a laser beam at Prox Chain. Sparks erupted from the monster's chest. He screeched.

Then he fully uncoiled the chains on his arms and spun at blinding speed with a loud *SHEEEN* as the metal links swung. Each Stellarman was knocked down in turn and the Risen who could still stand rushed forward to keep them busy while Prox Chain stepped toward Daniel.

"This is your last chance, human. Come quietly, and the world will be in your debt."

"Yeah, I'll be the one guy who never came home." Daniel put himself into a defensive stance. The monster swung the lengths on his arms in small circles, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Daniel made it. He harnessed his energy and sent a fireball streaking toward Prox Chain's feet. The monster jumped at him but this was exactly what Daniel had hoped. He jumped at the monster, willing his energy to its highest level. The chains lashed into his chest, then his shoulder, but he managed to ignore his pain long enough to land a double-fisted blow on the monster's chest.

This time, he did more than screech. He howled. He hit the ground like a one-ton weight. Explosions went off from every part of his body. The Stellarmen battered the Risen away and ran to Daniel's side.

"You've earned respite, human," Prox Chain managed to gasp, "but don't think I'm the worst Proxordo has to offer." He and the Risen faded from sight.

"You took him out with one hit," Black said, taken aback. "How?"

"I saw where your shots hit him first, then punched him with all my juice in the same spots," Daniel explained. "I'm not sure what I'm telling you for, though."

"Not bad," Black mused. "You could be a big help to us."

"Is that an offer or a threat?"

"An offer."

Daniel surveyed the four of them and thought for a minute. None of them made a move to force him into the vehicle, none of them had their weapon trained on him while they waited to hear his answer or encourage him to tell them something specific.

"Okay, let's go for a ride," he said.

Pink ushered him into the back of the car-like vehicle with Blue on his other side. The others climbed into the front and started her up. They whizzed down the road, but after a second Pink tied a blindfold around his head. It was really just as well, he felt he needed a break from the craziness that had landed on top of him. This is probably, he thought, that cereal I told Steve to get rid of was bad after all and now I'm dreaming about getting kidnapped by weirdoes over and over. I bet it's Shriners next.

After what seemed like an hour he heard the door opening and one of them stepping out. The other nudged him and he stumbled out of the vehicle himself. A hand gripped him firmly on the shoulder and he was led through twist after turn. Twice he caught his shoulder on the edge of a wall. Finally his escort pulled on him gently to stop, then yanked off the blindfold.

He, Blue and Pink were in a white room with a high, arched ceiling. To Daniel's right were two rows of raised theater seats. To his left was a screen hung on the wall, and below it was a curved a desk. Standing in front of the desk was someone wearing a full-head mask with yellow eyes and a pleasant smile. At least, it looked like a mask.

"Welcome," she said in a voice with a slight metallic echo. So maybe it wasn't a mask. "My name's Valentine. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and we'll do our best to answer them. Stand down, girls."

At this, Blue and Pink flashed then reverted to normal. Blue was eying him cautiously, but Pink looked at him with a concerned shine to her eyes. The violence between them was nothing personal, he gathered.

"Maybe you'd like to have a seat?" Valentine offered. "I'd rather have a Sprite," Daniel said. Immediately Valentine pressed a button on her wrist and a pop can materialized on the corner of one desk. Daniel gratefully took it and popped the top.

"Aki, Caitlin, go check in with the Commander," Valentine told the girls.

"And leave you alone with him?" Blue, Aki probably, asked.

"We'll be all right," Valentine replied. Daniel perked an eyebrow but said nothing. Aki shrugged and the girls left. Valentine pressed a few buttons on the podium and the room darkened, then one by one tiny stars appeared on the screen. Suddenly an image of Earth whirled by and Florida zoomed up until it he could almost see the N. Armstrong U. campus.

"You're in Sol Dome, Daniel, home of one branch of the Solar Defense Alliance," Valentine said.

"Never heard of it."

"Good." The Earth whirled away, shrinking until it became part of a display of the solar system. "The purpose of the SDA is to defend Earth and the other planets from undesirable elements beyond the handling ability of conventional authorities. Our main weapon is a team of warriors born with the ability to channel energy given off by celestial bodies. Cosmic Squadron Stellarman."

"If today was normal, you guys need more than that," Daniel said.

"You're right, Daniel, we do. Do you remember seeing those strange lights south of the city a few months ago?"

"Yeah. Swamp gas and crazy rednecks or something, they said."

"Dimensional invaders, actually," Valentine replied. "Stellarman caught them and exiled them again after two days, but we've been after Vayon's men for five weeks now, and still haven't scored any kind of decisive victory against them. That's why we had Stellarman hurry to the scene when we intercepted one of their transmissions that they'd captured someone with special power."

Her meaning wasn't lost on Daniel. "I'm not afraid to fight, but I didn't know either of you existed yesterday. How do I know I'm being asked to join the right side?"

"Hear it for yourself," Valentine said simply. She pushed another button her wrist and the picture on the screen changed again to show one of the Risen.

"Subject was able to knock a Risen some fifteen or twenty feet through the air with one blow. Request instructions," he said.

"You're sure this was no exaggeration?" a woman's voice replied.

"Two others saw the incident firsthand, mistress," the Risen said. "I was one myself. There is no mistake."

There was a long, thoughtful pause. Finally the woman's voice said, "Deliver the subject to 197-38 for dissection. This power could prove quite advantageous to Proxordo."

"I obey," the Risen nodded. The image hissed into static.

"Do you see what they're prepared to do to reach their goals?" Valentine asked.

Daniel didn't answer for a long time. He'd known he'd had power since he was a kid. He'd never asked himself where it came from, why he had received it instead of someone else, or what he was meant to do with it. Now, one group of strangers was asking him to use it to help them, while another had been willing to kill him to discover its secrets.

He asked quietly, "What happened to the other people they kidnapped?"

"They were set free," Valentine answered without reservation.

Daniel looked down at his hands, then looked up at Valentine. "I don't know who's the right side here," he said, "but I'm ready to use these powers for something. Show me how."

It looked like Valentine's lips had turned up at the edges ever so slightly. "Welcome aboard."

* * *

His shoes clattered to the floor. Daniel felt like he'd stuck his feet in buckets of ice water. It was a welcome sensation indeed.

"Hyah!" He lashed out at the air with a punch, then did a spinning jump kick. Muscle memory took over and he began performing a sequence of honed moves all over the SDA gymnasium. Aki and Caitlin watched through a one-way mirror, sizing up their potential new teammate. After a few minutes Black and Yellow entered, then flashed back to normal.

"Cliff, are you okay?" Caitlin asked and walked over to Yellow but he pushed her away.

"Get away! I'm fine," he snapped. "Next time we see that chain guy _he's_ gonna be the one who needs your pity."

"I didn't mean any--" Caitlin started to protest and Aki gave Cliff a nasty look. Bohdi tactfully interrupted them.

"So he's going to be the last Stellarman," he said.

"When his background check and blood tests are done," Aki answered. "Should be any time, Thebes told us."

"Good," Bohdi said, "We'll need him."

"No kidding," Aki added. "It's about time this team had at least one cute boy on it."

"You can keep on saying that," Cliff replied, "but I'm still not mad."

Daniel landed from a jump with a loud thud. Sweat was glistening on his face and arms, but for the first time since they'd met him, was wearing a smile. He picked up his shoes and was walking back out when his way was blocked by the four of them.

"Hey," Caitlin said.

"Hey," Daniel replied. "You were pretty good out there today, but I bet I could help you sharpen your technique."

"Um, thanks…"

Cliff scoffed, "Hey, Danny--"

"Daniel," he replied, his face stern all of a sudden.

"Whatever. It was us who did most of the damage to that chain thing. Just cuz you got off a lucky shot doesn't mean you'd be a good Stellarman."

Cliff's challenge hung thick in the air for a minute. "Well, I'm already warmed up," Daniel said, "Why don't you show me what it takes?"

Caitlin jumped between them. "Are you crazy?!" she yelled at Cliff, "We need another Stellarman! Are you going to chase off the one other person we found with Starlight?"

"I didn't say that sis, but to be one of us, you have to be able to fight something besides air."

"Then see how I do it for real," Daniel replied, emphasizing it with a crack of his knuckles.

Caitlin stood by with a look of shock. Bohdi stood by her impassively, while Aki had her lips curled into an amused smirk. Cliff chortled and raised his fists.

At least this wouldn't be dull…


	2. Phase 2: Star Cross

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 2: Star Cross

By David Anderson

Cliff clenched his fists. He leered, obviously enjoying the fact that his opponent was willing to meet his challenge. Daniel held up his hand suddenly.

"Hey, are you just gonna rush me, or are we gonna do this like civilized people?" he asked.

"What are you talkin' about?" Cliff demanded.

"How about a few rules to make it interesting? Like no powers."

"'Fraid yours ain't as good as mine?" Cliff sneered.

"Maybe he's actually doing you a favor, Cliff," Bohdi put in. "Think how PO'd Thebes would get if you wrecked the gym with your powers."

"Shut up!" Cliff yelled and rushed Daniel. His face swung toward Daniel's head, who reached out and caught it but Cliff followed with a kick to his stomach that nearly doubled Daniel over. The two moved away from the others, trading blows every step of the way.

"This is stupid!" Caitlin exclaimed.

"Cliff's got it coming anyway," Aki replied.

Cliff landed a one-two punch on Daniel's chest that knocked the wind out of him, but as Cliff swung Daniel dodged to the side and went into a spin kick, driving his heel into Cliff's back. He yelped in pain but turned right around and came out swinging again. Daniel grabbed his arm and flipped Cliff over his head, but the scrawny teenager contorted himself so he landed on his feet. He was about to attack again when he realized someone else had entered the gymnasium.

It was a tall, lean Hispanic woman. Early-to-mid-thirties, Daniel guessed. She wore a dark blue blazer and skirt with "SDA" stenciled in yellow on the chest. Pinned to her jacket was a silver nametag reading "Cmdr. M. Thebes."

"What's going on in here?" she demanded.

"Learning if I'm Stellarman material, apparently," Daniel replied and walked over to pick up his shoes.

"I'm afraid you'll have to do, both of you," she said and cast a wary eye at Cliff. She thrust her hand at Daniel. "Commander Maria Craice Thebes, head of operations at Sol Dome. You can call me Maria."

With a bit of hesitation, Daniel shook her hand. "You can call me Daniel. Not Dan, not Danny."

"Nice to meet you, Daniel," she replied without betraying any offense at his introduction. "You and I are going to talk. Everyone else, go check on the delivery."

The others filed out of the room. Thebes walked silently past Daniel onto the gym floor. After a moment she said, "So, Valentine tells me you want us to show you how to use your powers."

"Yeah."

"She also tells me you aren't sure we're the 'right side'."

"How can I be? I've known about both of you for like a day. But I've been hiding my power for my whole life…I want to see what I can do with it, and the other guys would rather cut me up to see how it works than help me learn."

Thebes gazed upward into space for a while before she replied. "You know what I'll ask in exchange, don't you?"

"Of course. I have to help you fight."

"Not just that, Daniel. Helping us fight has to be your first priority. Now that Vayon's people have been exposed, they aren't going to hold anything back. I'm sure of it. Stellarman _has_ to be complete. You might die, Daniel, and if you don't answer a call or decide one day you don't like this arrangement anymore, you'll be a deserter. Are you willing to commit to that, to learn how to use your power?"

It was a big choice, that was true. A huge choice. But he'd had his powers for years, did he really want to even consider throwing away a chance to learn how to use them, no matter what it involved? Was he that dumb?

"Yeah, I'm ready. What we do first?" he said.

"We check in on the others. Then, we get you a ring." She beckoned him to follow and led him through a series of whitewashed corridors. Occasionally they passed a window through which he could see people in environmental suits tinkering with machines or canisters full of glowing blue liquid. Through a window across one chamber with the glowing canisters he saw what looked like an enormous hangar, but it was empty. Thebes whistled and he jogged after her. A minute later they entered a room full of gigantic computers and monitors showing readouts he couldn't begin to understand. Technicians sat before the screens, doing who knew what and occasionally jumping to another station. In front of the largest monitor of all stood the four Stellarmen and Valentine. On it was a computer rendering of Earth, the moon, and between them a long line with a green blip nearing the Earth end.

"Has the crew checked in?" Thebes asked.

"They should about twenty minutes," Bohdi replied.

"What's going on?" asked Daniel.

"In case Vayon decides to do something drastic, we're bringing in some really big guns," Thebes replied with a peculiar smile.

"I've been waiting for this a long time," Cliff said and rubbed his palms together. As he did, a window opened in an upper corner of the monitor. It showed a young woman wearing a blue jumpsuit with "SDA" lettered in yellow on the shoulders. Her brown hair was unkempt and her face damp with sweat.

"Sol Dome, do you hear me?" she asked. "I'm picking up something coming toward the ship. Please tell me you're sending an escort."

"What is it?" Bohdi asked.

"If I knew, I wouldn't--" she said, but then there was a flash, and the image disappeared into static.

"What the crap?!" Cliff exclaimed.

"Something hit the transport," Valentine replied, "but we're still getting a reading. At present speed and trajectory, it should come down…" She made a few strokes on a nearby keyboard. The display zoomed in on the image of Earth and showed the terminus of the line; a few miles off the Florida coast.

"Stellarman," Thebes said without missing a beat, "Vayon has to be behind this. Whatever's happened to the crew, we have to assume the Ptolemic Machines will be intact. Find them and bring them back at all costs. Bohdi, you're in charge."

The alien mumbled something irritably but Thebes didn't show any reaction. "Daniel, take these," she said and opened a small silver briefcase resting on a counter. Inside was a ring set with a red jewel and beside it a small silver gizmo with a round speaker on one end and a series of buttons in the middle. He took them and Thebes added, "The others will show you how to use them, hurry!"

The other four were already charging out of the room and Daniel wasted no time following. They rounded a corner and passed through an automatic door, and the five of them entered the cavernous hangar Daniel had noticed before. "Girls, you and the new kid take the Advancer," Bohdi said, "We'll meet you there."

"You heard what he said, kid," Aki told him, motioning toward the hover car they'd brought him in.

"Kid??" demanded Daniel, who was sure he outweighed Aki by at least two years.

"You can figure it out on the way over," Caitlin interrupted. "This is an emergency, remember?"

Daniel shrugged and climbed into a rear seat while Aki took the wheel and Caitlin rode shotgun. Aki gunned the engine and they cruised out onto a marsh. After a minute they turned onto a road and were speeding toward the coast. High in the sky, a fiery, unrecognizable shape continued to fall.

* * *

They'd thought they would rebuild those ancient weapons to combat his forces. They'd thought to take them beyond the planet he had vowed to save while the procedure took place.

And they'd thought they could hide it from him. Clever, but not clever enough.

Amro Vayon stood and surveyed his sanctum. It was devoid of decoration and furniture except for a single window looking out over the ocean. An adherent of the Truth needed no ostentatious furnishings, after all. He stepped into the large hole in the center the floor which filled with white light at his approach. He stepped inside and drifted slowly downward. A minute later his boots touched the floor of the cavern. Kneeling before him were Prox Chain and a beautiful woman in a black mini-dress with yellow trim and matching elbow gloves and thigh-high boots. Her bright blue hair was tied into a long braid with a black metal band studded with topaz clasping it at the bottom. She looked up at him with the same bronze eyes as the rest who'd been touched by the Fire of Truth.

"Arise, disciple," Vayon said, and they did. The woman opened her mouth to speak but Vayon turned away. "Dione, I recall your telling me that your creation would be delivering a human with remarkable powers. Where is he?"

"He and Stellarman proved more formidable than anticipated, sir," Dione replied softly, blamelessly. As if protecting her creation.

"Which is why it retreated, to give him time to become even more so," Vayon said.

"Sir, Prox Chain suffered considerable damage. We likely would've lost him if he'd remained," Dione protested.

"Then your toy is no use to me."

Prox Chain staggered back. "Sir, Prox Chain is the most powerful Truthcraft I've ever created," said Dione, "None of them stands a better chance against Stellarman than him."

"It _failed me_, Dione," Vayon whirled around, power crackling from every joint of his golden armor. After a moment it faded. "But for your sake, it can have another chance. That ship we shot down should make landfall soon. Take Kamandetes with you and make sure Stellarman doesn't get its hands on those damned vehicles."

"Thank you for your mercy, mighty Vayon," Prox Chain groveled. Vayon raised his hands and white light seeped from them into the kneeling monster. The monster's chains ended in heavy metal balls or sharpened spearheads.

"Go!" Vayon barked, and without another word Prox Chain ran out of the room.

"Perhaps…a little _less_ loyalty in your creations from now on, Dione?" Vayon suggested.

"Perhaps…I can be too eager to share," she smiled gently.

Vayon smiled back and put an arm around her waist. "Our time is coming, Dione. Even in this benighted mess people call society, there are those who can see that judgment day is coming. Just a few shows of power and our numbers will swell."

"But Stellarman…"

"…could present a problem. We must plan."

"We'll be ready for them, Vayon," Dione assured him then stood on her toes and kissed him. "The Truth is on our side, isn't that what you're always saying?"

"Always," Vayon smiled.

The ride to the state line, such as it was, was quick but tense. Neither of the girls spared a word to see if Daniel was all right, and since this was, after all, an _emergency_, he didn't think it was a good idea to press them. He concentrated on his hands and they warmed reassuringly. Daniel wondered just how much he could do, as a Stellarman. He was ready to find out.

He peered out the window and the falling ship still loomed high above, but after a minute it disappeared behind the trees lining the road. All at once there was a deafening *BOOOM!* The hovering Advancer didn't shake, of course, but the trees around them were blown so violently forward they almost snapped in two. Goosebumps ran up Daniel's body. Was really ready for this?

"Are we almost there?" he demanded.

"We'll be there in a minute, Daniel. _Literally,_ a minute," Caitlin said.

And they were. They rounded a bend and were on the edge of an empty beach. Sticking out of the waves was the smoking tip of a box-like shape, but to Daniel's surprise they kept going. Out the window beside him he saw Bodhi and Cliff on motorcycles, cruising right over the water themselves.

They stopped at the edge of the ship. Bohdi grabbed a protruding wheel with his giant hands and spun it. A hatch opened and the five of them scrambled inside.

The Stellarmen in a wide hallway lit by orange emergency lights. At the end a flight of battered stairs led downward. "Be careful, guys," Bohdi warned, "Who knows what kind of shape the ship's in?"

Cliff scoffed. "Whatever. Can we evolve already?"

"No!" Bohdi hissed. "We've got to save our energy. Vayon must have his puppets all over the ship. Let's just go, and be _quiet_."

Cliff growled and balled a fist but Daniel locked eyes with him for a second. For that second, Cliff stopped.

"Got something to say, pal?" Daniel asked.

"I'll say it to the Risen," Cliff replied, jutting his jaw out as he did as if to add, _and I'll save some for you after we get back._ Bohdi blinked in what looked like amazement, then turned and led the way down the stairs. Cliff went after and Aki arched an eyebrow at Daniel as she followed. He was about to go after them when Caitlin stopped him.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"Do what?"

"Don't be a smartass. My brother never backed down from anybody, but you said one thing and he falls in line."

"He's just thinking it'd be better to wait for another shot at me."

Caitlin's expression went completely blank before she asked, "What about you? Are you waiting for a better time?"

"What? At him? I barely--"

"Hey!" Aki yelled up at them. "Are we gonna save the world without you two??" Daniel looked at Caitlin again, wondering what she was thinking, then went down the steps after the others. He spotted Bohdi holding up one of the silver gadgets Thebes had given him, a display of a map projected from one end.

"Any life signs?" Caitlin asked.

"Yes, but none human," Bohdi replied ominously and without looking at her. He was tracing a path with his finger toward a box outlined in red in the center. "If we go this way then cut through the central corridor, we'd reach a grate where we could crawl--"

A tingle ran up Daniel's arms and legs. It felt like the creeping dread that came over him in first grade when, on stage in front of everyone he knew and all their relatives, he couldn't remember what the big bad wolf said to the three little pigs. Something was watching them, waiting for a chance to strike.

"Guys, we're not alone," he warned. A Risen's baton whistled past his head and lodged in the ceiling.

"Run!!" Bohdi yelled. From behind Risen stepped out of the shadows with weapons raised. The Stellarmen, even Cliff, took off running. They could hear clanking footsteps pursuing as they reached a fork in the corridor, and Daniel nearly tripped over a body in a dark blue jumpsuit.

Bohdi was leading them right when an all-too-familiar *SHEEEN* sound filled the air. A chain lashed out of nowhere and wrapped around pipes above them and pulled, bringing a rain of charred machinery tumbling down on Stellarman. Caitlin tackled Aki out of the way, but by the time the avalanche stopped, Daniel, Bohdi and Cliff found themselves on one side of a wall of junk blocking the entire passage.

"Aki! Catie!" Bohdi yelled, but there was no reply.

"_Now_ we evolve!" Cliff yelled. The yellow jewel in his ring flashed but Daniel grabbed him by the shoulder.

"No. We have to keep going," he said.

"You've gotta be crazy! The girls--"

"The girls are strong, they'll be fine," Bohdi interrupted. "Daniel's right, we have to ensure the safety of the Ptolemic Machines above all else. Besides, we need to save our strength for Proxordo. Just evolving takes Starlight."

Cliff gaped at them, then grimaced and stomped down the passage.

* * *

Aki shook her head to clear the flickering stars in front of her eyes. She wished she hadn't. Looming over her and Caitlin was Prox Chain.

"You looking for a date or something, buddy?" Aki asked. The monster responded by uncoiling the chains wrapped around his arms.

Before he had the chance to attack the two shouted, "Cosmic Evolution!" Their rings flashed and where two teenagers had been stood StellarBlue and StellarPink. Chain swung his namesake like whips at the two but they ducked. "Switch Magnum!" Pink yelled and fired her gun but the monster spun around and lashed his chains across their bodies. They staggered to opposite sides of the room.

"It doesn't matter if it's two or twenty," he said tonelessly, "you'll never win. Give in and I'll end your lives quickly."

"You think we can't fight you because we're girls?" Pink snapped.

"You can't fight me because you're human. The Truth makes us so much more."

"We'll see about that," Blue retorted and rushed the monster. She actually seemed to catch him by surprise and landed a punch that sent sparks shooting out, but she was rewarded with no scream of pain or surprise. Instead a chain extended from his abdomen and knocked her across the corridor.

Pink's boot hit him in the back and doubled him clean over. She fired her gun and hit several times, but the monster loosed one of his chains, this one linked to a heavy metal ball. Pink gasped and ducked but he shoot out another chain, this one ending in a cuff that snapped around her wrist and tightened. Pink yelped and dropped her gun.

Blue slashed repeatedly at his arms and chest with her sword but he took the blows without so much as flinching. He shot another chain, capped with a heavy metal ball at Blue but she spun out of the way. Without missing a beat he fired off two more like it. One caught Blue in the stomach and the other on the side of her head. She went down hard.

"You're more than most humans, but you can't hide behind ignorance and denial forever," Prox Chain said. He grabbed them and started dragging the two down the hall.

"Sir, two Stellarman captured…"

"We're almost there!" Bohdi called back. The three of them had crawled into a lower passage that would hopefully lead them to the cargo hold where the vehicles were waiting. He picked his way through a tangle of corpses, their limbs bent at impossible angles from the violent landing. So much death, he wondered if Proxordo thought anything at all about having caused it.

"Almost to the hangar?" Daniel asked.

"Almost to the first checkpoint," Bohdi corrected him. He indicated a heavy metal door in front of them.

"How many are there?" asked Simon.

"Five," Bohdi replied while punching in a code on a numeric keypad embedded in the door. Cliff tapped his foot impatiently. Finally Bohdi pressed the Enter key.

Nothing happened.

"That the wrong code?" Cliff inquired.

"It would've buzzed at me," Bohdi replied and his face fell as he seemed to realize something. "And the keys weren't lit up. There must not be enough power left to open the doors." "So how do we get in?" Daniel asked.

"Maybe if we went back up…we could find a vent to crawl into the hold through…"

"Maybe?!" Cliff snapped. "That'd take forever, and what if we don't find any? Didn't you guys say we needed to do this fast?"

"He's got a point," Daniel admitted, then shot a bolt of crimson Starlight at the door. It groaned but held. Cliff smiled and shot a golden beam that caused the door to buckle ever so slightly.

"What are you doing?!" Bohdi demanded. "We have to save our energy for when we meet Proxordo!"

Daniel and Cliff fired again. The door shuddered and slid open just a bit. "Speed or strength, it's one or the other," Daniel replied. They fired again.

Bohdi paced back and forth. There couldn't be only two choices, there never were. Yes, securing the Ptolemic Machines was their first priority, but what if Proxordo had somehow beaten them inside the hold? Without the team's full strength, the three of them would need all the power they had to stand a chance. And yet Cliff and Daniel were happy to waste their energies trying to blast down a sealed door. The first of five.

Daniel and Cliff readied themselves for another shot when a black beam ripped into the door where they'd been aiming and left a sizable dent. They turned to see Bohdi standing behind them with a dark glow still surrounding one fist. Daniel smiled gently, "All together now. Let's keep 'em steady and see what happens." Red, yellow and black beams shot out and hit the door, but the beams were constant and the door slowly buckled. "More!" Daniel barked and the beams grew brighter. The door groaned then exploded backward. *CLANG!*…*CLANG!*

"Sounds like we took out more than one door," Daniel mused.

Indeed they had. Three shattered security doors lay at the foot of another. But on that door, the numeric keypad glowed a light green.

"The power's still connected to that one," Bohdi sighed with relief. "The circuit must've just been broken to the first. We'll be in there in another minute, guys." He stepped beyond the first doorway when there was a flash, then an explosion that knocked them off their feet.

"What was tha--" Daniel mumbled, but stopped. Towering over him was a man in green and black armor with ornaments of hissing snakes on the shoulders and the biggest sword he'd ever seen clutched in one hand. Daniel couldn't see the face behind the helmet, but there was no mistaking the glistening bronze eyes…

Pink pulled and grunted, but it was no use. Prox Chain just pulled and started dragging her behind him on the floor.

Was this it? All the wondering about her future, all the times she'd saved Cliff from being disowned, and she was going to be dragged in for this thing's boss to inspect, whoever or whatever that proved to be?

Blue coughed and Pink looked over. Her wrists were bound together now. Was she hurt? Blue jerked her head downward, toward where her Switch Magnum was holstered on her belt. Blue twisted and the gun dropped from its holster and skidded just far enough for Pink to grab it. Prox Chain grunted and started turning around.

Pink squeezed the trigger. "Switch Magnum!" A beam shot straight into Prox Chain's face. He screamed and immediately his chains went slack, letting the two shake free. Blindly he shot chains out in all directions, and the girls ducked and dodged around through the writhing links. One scraped across Pink's stomach, and another struck Blue across the shoulder, but they managed to scramble to a safe distance.

"Cover me, I'll take care of him," Pink said.

"You got it. Arc Blader!" A star-shaped boomerang appeared in Blue's hand.

"Grav-Hammer!" Pink called and was rewarded with a giant warhammer.

Prox Chain dropped the hand shielding his face. "I can see I'll have to wind _tighter_ this time," he growled. Chains on his arms reared up like angry snakes then shot out again, but this time they were ready.

Blue threw the Arc Blader, cutting through the incoming chains and slicing against his chest before looping back to her. Before he could recover, Pink jumped at him with her hammer held high. "Gravity Crush!" Putting all her Starlight behind it she brought the giant weapon down on Prox Chain's chest. It smashed through the armor covering him, then Prox Chain's torso. He screamed, but it was too late. He exploded into bits, sending shockwaves through the whole ship.

Blue clapped Pink on the shoulder. "That's girl power!"

"Let's find the boys and get the machines, then we can worry about congratulating ourselves."

"Know what, girl? You're too tense. Startin' to sound like Bohdi."

"Come on!" Pink shouldered the hammer and rand down the hall. "They could be in trouble!"

"Nope, you're worse," Blue mumbled. "Hey, wait for me!" The two sprinted into the depths of the ship.

* * *

"Step away that door if you value your life," the armored figure boomed in a voice that made Daniel think of an echo coming up out of a tomb.

"And who're you supposed to be?" Cliff demanded.

"I am the serpent who poisons the fool too blind to see his own destruction, Kamandetes," he bowed, then leveled his sword at the three of them. "I say again, step away from that door if you value your lives."

"I was wondering when I'd get to try this out," Daniel whispered. "Is mine the same as you guys?"

"Yeah," Cliff whispered back. "Let's go! Cosmic Evolution!"

"Cosmic Evolution!" Daniel and Bohdi shouted. At once Daniel felt his power rising, but it was to a level he'd never even imagined. He _burned_ with his crimson Starlight, but at once he felt it cooling, forming a shell around his body. Then it was gone. He was clad in a bright red uniform and helmet. He was StellarRed.

"How…predictable," Kamandetes sighed. Suddenly Kamandetes disappeared and the next thing Daniel--or StellarRed--knew he was on the floor again with a shooting pain across his chest. Kamandetes rematerialized between the three of them and the door. "What you're after is through here, isn't it? If you can survive the serpent's bite, it's you "Stellash!" Black called and was rewarded when a whip with a three-pronged claw on the head flashed into being coiled in one hand.

"Grav-Hammer!" Yellow called, but nothing happened. "Grav-Hammer!" Still nothing.

"The girls must be using it," Black observed. "They must be alive…"

"…but fighting to stay that way," Red finished for him. "Let's make this quick."

"Dual Calibur!" Yellow tried again and was armed with a pair of long swords this time.

"Truthstrike!" Kamandetes shouted and a beam shot out from his sword. An explosion erupted in front of them but the three charged right through. Black jabbed his thumb at Red then to his left, then toward Yellow and to his right. Red and Yellow flanked Black as he ran close enough to Kamandetes to crack his whip. It slashed against his armor, but Kamandetes didn't seem phased at all. His sword became a blur as it swung out and knocked Black away. As soon as he was close enough Yellow spun and hit Kamandetes with his twin swords again and again but the knight only scoffed and again with blinding speed hit Yellow so hard he left a dent in the wall.

Red aimed a punch at Kamandetes visor as he ran past. The knight swiped with his sword but in one fluid motion Red jumped over it, drew his gun and flipped it into a sword like he'd seen Black do before, then jammed the tip into the space between the armor plating on Kamandetes's side.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaargh!" Kamandetes angrily slashed at Red's head but he rolled away just in time. Another swing but Red parried it with his own sword, puny though the slender blade seemed against Kamandetes's giant weapon. Red immediately dodged to the side as Kamandetes cocked his sword back and his arm blurred again as it struck, catching Red on the heel. Red rolled and got in a hit on the back of an unarmored knee.

"Urg! Why won't you stand and fight, human? Are you that sure you'll lose?" Kamandetes snarled.

"If you felt like fighting fair, maybe I would too," Red countered.

"Paradise Breaker!" Kamandetes yelled and held his sword aloft. A glowing snake hissed at the tip and the knight swung at Red once again, who tried to dive out of the way, but the snake jumped forth with its fangs ripping into Red's body.

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Red flew into the wall and landed next to Yellow with a thud.

"The Truth is unbeatable, children! See what defying it gets you!"

"Guys, hit him from all sides. Don't stop moving," Red whispered to the others. They struggled to their feet.

"Admirable, but foolish," Kamandetes sighed. "Paradise Breaker!"

The snake flashed from Kamandetes's sword again but this time the Stellarmen were ready. The three scattered and the attack ripped into the ground where they'd been standing, but nothing more. They ran in circles around Kamandetes, brandishing their weapons.

"Stellash!" Black's whip sliced into the back of Kamandetes's armor.

"Dual Calibur!" Yellow followed by slashing Kamandetes twice across the front. By the time the knight swung back Yellow was already gone.

"Switch Magnum!" Red strafed the villain with his pistol.

"Grav-Hammer!" another voice suddenly called out. The floor rocked and Kamandetes staggered back and forth.

"Arc Blader!" The star-shaped projectile whizzed out of nowhere and hit Kamandetes with an explosive impact.

"Enjoy your victory while it lasts, _children_," Kamandetes croaked then vanished.

"See? I told you they'd be all right," Black said as Pink and Blue jogged up to them.

"Looks like we got here just in time…as usual," Blue said in a tone that made Red think she was smiling inside the helmet.

"Like your little cereal box prize woulda done anything if we hadn't done the hard work," Yellow snorted.

"We beat that chain monster by ourselves, thanks," Pink put in.

Black ignored them and ran to open the next door. He hit the keys and the door hissed open. The last had been knocked from its seating by the crash, leaving the way open. Beyond lay the cargo hold, and in it, five giant gray-armored machines. A wolf, an eagle, a five-headed hydra, a lizard and lastly a fox. The Ptolemic Machines.

"Those are for us?" Red gaped.

"If you only knew how long we been waitin' for em," Yellow said with a smirking tone.

"I get the wolf," Red declared and ran toward it without waiting for an answer.

"What?! Hey!" Yellow hollered, but it was too late. The entrance hatch was already sliding shut behind Red.

"Looks like he's staying," Blue purred. Right then, the ceiling creaked at them.

"Quick! Into the machines!" Black yelled and ran toward the hydra. Yellow took the eagle, Blue the lizard and Pink the fox. And not a minute too soon, because immediately the hull cracked and water poured in.

Red sat down in the pilot's seat. He looked for an ignition but all the controls were labeled in an alien language. "How do you start these things?" he asked over his communicator.

"Look for a pair of grips," Black replied. Red's eyes skimmed over the controls and spotted two levers on the sides of the panel. He reached out and grabbed them, then almost let go. His body flared with Starlight and for a minute he felt outside himself. He larger, stronger…inhuman. Meanwhile the energy down his arms and into the robot. Lights came on across the control panel, the alien writing flickered and became English and outside the robot's gray armor rippled into a vibrant red. Without even thinking about it he pressed a menacing red "LASER" button and sparkling bolts ripped the side of the ship open. Water rushed in even faster but he pushed the levers forward and Wolf ran right through it. Within seconds it was climbing onto dry land.

"Everybody else okay?" he asked. "Hello??"

"We're here kid, don't worry," Blue's voice hailed him. From out of the ocean the other Ptolemic Machines appeared. A smile formed on Daniel's weary face. They'd done it.

"Let's get these things back to the dome. I still have homework," Pink said.

"Fine with me," Red said and turned Wolf inland. But then he saw it. From high above, a ray of white light descended into the remains of the ship. There was a blinding flash, and suddenly there stood…Prox Chain, but hundreds of feet tall.

"The Truth will prevail!!!" he roared and shook them even inside the Ptolemic Machines.

"Open fire!" Red commanded. From cannons on Wolf and Fox's backs, Eagle's wings, Lizard's eyes and Hydra's mouths lasers and missiles launched. They hit the giant monster and he staggered…but stood. A chain uncoiled from his wrist then lashed toward the Ptolemic Machines and knocked them aside like toys.

"Dang…why'd we go to all the trouble to get these things if they can't do anything?" Yellow cursed.

"Because that's not their full power!" Valentine suddenly cut in. "Everyone! Take the grips and yell 'Star Cross'!"

"What?" Blue asked in surprise.

"Just do it!" Red said. "Star Cross!"

"Star Cross!" called the others.

Some long-buried trigger in the Ptolemic Machines was activated by those two words. The wolf turned vertical with its hind legs extending downward and panels on its back flipping out resembling shoulders. The lizard and fox folded their legs up inside and then bent upward at the neck and attacked to the bottom of the wolf, becoming legs. The eagle compressed into a rectangular shape and lodged itself the hollow in the wolf's back. The eagle's head flipped backward revealing a silvery human mask. Finally the hydra descended toward the gestalt. Its outermost heads detached from the whole then affixed themselves to the shoulder joints extended from wolf, becoming arms. The next two heads affixed to the top of the shoulders and the last closed around the head like a helmet.

Daniel's seat was pulled upward. A second later found himself sitting at the center of a larger cockpit where the other Stellarmen were already seated. An emblem showing a ring of stars on the giant machine's chest flashed and the ground around it erupted with explosions.

"There!" Valentine said enthusiastically. "You've formed the Ptolemic Titan, StellarSavage!"

"The Truth will prevail!" Prox Chain declared again and shot his namesake from both arms. One wrapped around StellarSavage's neck and the other an arm. The robot sliced through the chain with one swipe of its claws then grabbed Chain over its head and threw him into the ocean.

"Now!" Red commanded, "Hit him before he can hit back!"

"Glad to help!" Black answered. "Serpent Salvo!" Lasers hissed out of the hydra's mouths, ripping into the fallen monster's body between the black chains. They could see cracks spreading through the monster's arms and legs.

But the fight hadn't gone out of him yet. Prox Chain whirled a chain ending in a giant metal ball around his head and let it fly. An explosion went up where it hit and StellarSavage went back a few steps, but stayed up. Prox Chain threw the metal ball again but StellarSavage swiped with its claws and sliced it to pieces. The monster shot more chains, tipped with arrowheads. They struck StellarSavage again and again but the robo managed to stand its ground.

"We're not getting anywhere like this. We need to get in a really powerful hit to get the upper hand," Red said.

The communicator hissed and Valentine spoke. "Stellarmen, use the Claw Driver. All of you have to activate it at once for maximum potency."

Each Stellarman braced themselves, then as one, called, "Claw Driver!!" StellarSavage's claws flared white, then started to spin. Chains shot toward them once again but without Stellarman lifting a finger the robot dashed forward and sliced them to bits with one blow, then plunged its other claw into Prox Chain. Explosions went all over his body.

"I may fall…but others will follow! The Truth…will…prevail…"

Prox Chain slumped forward and exploded one final time leaving nothing but blackened remains bobbing in the water. It was over.

* * *

A half hour later, Daniel sat and watched as technicians swarmed over StellarSavage, the result of all the insanity that had taken place since that morning. The prize he'd won with the help of four strangers. Strangers with the same power he'd been hiding for years.

"What are you thinking about?" asked a voice, and he looked up to see Commander Thebes standing beside him.

"About how crazy everything went in just a day."

"Having second thoughts?"

Daniel smiled wearily. "No way."

"It'll probably get even tougher from here on out."

"And I'll be learning how to use my powers, and maybe those kids can learn a thing or two from me while I'm doing it. I think I'm up to it."

"I'll call someone to take you back to Armstrong. Training starts tomorrow at four." With that she spun on her heel and walked out of the hangar.

Daniel looked down at his ring, his other souvenir for accepting this path. Did he make the right choice in accepting it? Then again, did he really want to run away again? No.

"It's true," he whispered to himself, "today's the first day of the rest of my life. And this time…it's gonna count."


	3. Phase 3: Broken

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 3: Broken

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Note: For clarity's sake, Stellarman's real names will be used even when transformed for a while.

He scraped lightly at the cracked soil with his father's shovel. It was all he could manage; he hadn't tasted water in almost four days. But if he couldn't dig deep enough, that wouldn't change for him or anyone who lived in the village on the hill.

The merciless sun continued to beat down on the desolate African village. Children clustered in the feeble relief provided of the shade cast by a ramshackle hut. He wiped the sweat off his brow, looked at the glistening on his wrist longingly then went back to work.

All at once the children jumped to their feet and started to chatter excitedly. Against his better judgment he stopped and looked to where in the sky they pointed, then dropped the old shovel in surprise.

Floating down toward the village was a man in dazzling golden armor. He touched down and stood motionless while the villagers gathered around him. After a minute he spoke, and the villagers couldn't help jumping backward in surprise.

"I've found the secret of salvation," he said simply, "a secret I intend to share."

An old man spoke for everyone. "Does it save us from drought?"

The man clapped his hands and thick black clouds crept in from the horizon. Within minutes the sky was completely covered. He clapped again and thunder rolled. Then, rain poured from the heavens.

A woman wailed in disbelief and almost dropped her baby. The children started to jump and dance through the mud forming at their feet. Most of the villagers fell to their knees and bowed to the armored man over and over.

"Rise," he commanded. "Repay the favor you've been given by helping me build a world where famine is an obsolete word…"

The Reaves Academy clock tower issued the sound the privileged students had been waiting to hear all day. The week was over. Classrooms opened and students filed into the halls. Among them was Cliff, who allowed himself a smile as he folded the World History test with the bright red "A" on top into his bag.

"Let mom and dad say why I don't deserve that Mercedes after they see this."

"Cliff? Is that you?" someone asked. He groaned and Aki skipped into view, grinning as usual. "I didn't recognize you with a smile on your face."

"Think there's a reason for that?" he growled.

"Maybe you think I'm out of your league?"

Cliff looked her in the eye without saying anything for a long minute, then let loose with a loud, snide laugh. He kept laughing as he shouldered his bag and walked away.

Aki skipped in front of him wearing an amused expression of her own. "What's the matter, kid? Am I too much woman for you or something?"

"You can say that again," Cliff mumbled.

"Lighten up, kid. You just got an A. Know how many I get? You should be celebrating."

"I'm used to getting them," Cliff snapped and tried to push her away. "That's not bragging." He dodged around her and pushed his way into the after school crowd as it spilled outside.

The courtyard was especially lovely just then, the overhanging trees had been trimmed and the white stone tiles had just been cleaned for the visit of a wealthy investor. Cliff couldn't have cared less. His good mood was ruined. "I bet when I get home dad's having a bunch of his friends over for dinner."

"Cliff!" a girl yelled over the chatter of students. Cliff cringed.

"Don't you know when to quit?!" Cliff yelled and turned to face her, but Aki wasn't alone. Two heavyset men in suits were flanking her on either side in an isolated corner of the courtyard. One of them flashed a badge at him that read SDA. "What's going on? We're not training today."

"You're not," one answered. "There's a mission, and the Commander wants everyone to stay off the comm."

"Maybe we can save this day after all."

* * *

The two skull-shaped craft zoomed low over the hills. Their engines were going full burn, and the reason why came hurtling over the hill after them. An enormous robot wolf covered in red armor landed from a jump and sped after the strange ships.

"We got 'em on the run," Daniel as StellarRed said inside Wolf's cockpit. From what the SDA techs had told him it probably couldn't hear him, but he didn't care. His own giant robot! Daniel pushed the throttle forward and Wolf ran even faster. The gap between his robot and the flying skulls narrowed and Daniel hit a button. Laser batteries mounted on Wolf's back fired and blew one of the ships to bits. The other swooped back and fired back with beams from its eyes but he was ready.

Wolf lunged to the left and the shots went wide. The skull roared past and ascended then opened its jaws and spat a cloud of bombs at Wolf. Daniel was jostled around in the cockpit but held his ground. The skull started to come around again, but in that split-second Daniel urged his robot forward. Wolf charged then jumped. It slashed with one giant claw and battered the final ship out of the air.

"Come on! I'm the newest Stellarman and I still busted you guys up!" Daniel challenged. "Are flying skulls the best you can do?"

"Hardly!" a voice like metal on metal answered. Daniel just had time to register it before he heard an explosion and Wolf cart wheeled into the air. It landed upside down with a crash. Through the windscreen Daniel could see a giant robot with a cannon for a head. Prox Cannon.

The barrel flashed as he fired another shot and Daniel desperately wrestled with the controls. Wolf scrambled to its feet just in time to only dodge the explosion.

"You ready to do something stupid, buddy?"

"Say goodbye, Stellarman!" The monster aimed and blasted his cannon straight at Wolf but the robot charged him and dodged the shot that blew a smoking hole in the ground.

Prox Cannon aimed again but Wolf jumped straight at him. Wolf's weapons fired. The barrage of lasers hit the shell just as it left Prox Cannnon's head. Not surprisingly it went off, and took the monster's head with it. Prox Cannon collapsed.

"Interesting strategy!" Bohdi called. The monster's body flickered away. From behind some trees Bohdi's Hydra slithered into sight.

The big alien was waiting when Daniel, reverted to normal, stepped out of Wolf. He was recording something in a handheld gadget, but looked up as he realized he wasn't alone. "So…how much was that 'interesting strategy' worth?" Daniel inquired.

"A lot," Bohdi replied. "But it looks like they're docking you for letting the monster catch you by surprise." He held up the gadget for Daniel to see the number 87 blinking on the screen.

"Eighty-seven?! The paint isn't even scraped on my robot!" Daniel protested.

"If it was up to me I'd give you more, but it's up to a computer back at the Dome. You did well, Daniel. So far my best is only eighty-nine," he said with particular pride. "If you don't mind my saying so, you certainly seemed to be enjoying yourself back there."

"What can I say? I wanted my own giant robot since I was a kid. I didn't even know people could make things like this yet."

"You're going to see plenty of other strange things as a Stellarman, Daniel."

"Hey, I've known about my powers since I was a kid. I'm prepared for a lot."

Bohdi made an amused "hmmm" noise. "You should try growing up on Chahi." "That's what part of the hood you're from, huh? What's it like?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

"You never asked about it before."

Daniel shrugged. "It never came up. I didn't want to seem nosy."

"You didn't want to seem…" Bohdi trailed off then shut his eyes and shook his head. "You're an unusual specimen, Daniel."

"I wouldn't be here otherwise."

Bohdi gave Daniel a strange look out of one side of his flattened face before he answered. "There isn't a lot to say about Chahi. It's mostly gray rocks and sand as far as you can see. There used to be cities, the adults say, but they're just ruins now. There are a couple of little villages, but there isn't much contact between them. The barasts are too numerous these days."

"The barasts?"

"Yes. They're huge, black things as big as lions. They can take your arm off with one bite. I've seen it happen. Sometimes they even sneak into the village at night."

"So you got sick of it and left?"

"More or less,…yes."

A moment passed in silence. "You gonna unpack that?"

"No. Not right now."

"Okay, man," Daniel said and adopted a thoughtful expression, then a smile lit up his face. "Race you back to base!" he called and darted into Wolf.

"Wait a minute!" Bohdi replied but the hatch had already closed. Wolf hummed to life and thundered away a second later. Bohdi shook his head and boarded Hydra. "Can someone so carefree really be the edge we need against Proxordo?"

* * *

Daniel grinned as he and Bohdi walked through the hangar into the main base. "Thanks, Bohdi."

"I wasn't racing you."

"No, you weren't. You were behind me the whole way back. I meant for the practice."

"If only the rest of the team booked time for practice on Friday afternoons. Or at all," said a voice behind them and the two turned to see Commander Thebes standing there. "Come on you two, there's a briefing."

"You didn't call us," Bohdi pointed out.

"No I didn't and I'll tell you why if you'll follow me," she replied and walked off. Daniel and Bohdi exchanged puzzled glances but followed. She led them to the briefing room where the three others had already found seats. Bohdi found a place in the back and Daniel sat near Caitlin.

"Where were you guys?" she asked.

"Practice," Daniel said simply. Caitlin gave him a strange look but said nothing. Thebes cleared her throat and all eyes rested on her behind the podium.

"Everyone, I'm sure you're wondering what this meeting is all about. I won't waste time; it's because Proxordo knew about the freighter transporting the Ptolemic Machines. We believe our communications have been compromised."

"We're talking about them noticing a giant spaceship entering the atmosphere, right?" Cliff pointed out.

"It had radar deflection technology installed, Cliff," Thebes explained. "That's not our only concern, anyway. About a week before the Ptolemic Machines were shipped to Earth there was a brief period of interference during one of the moon base's regular status reports. At the time we thought it was just a fault with their equipment, but now we think it was Proxordo intercepting the signal.

"The SDA are implementing a plan that we hope will upgrade our communications network so Proxordo is unable to break our transmissions. That's where the five of you come in."

"So what are we doing?" Daniel asked.

"You can find out your objective on the way over. Valentine will meet you in the hangar," Thebes responded with finality.

"And I thought this weekend was off to a bad start," Cliff chortled as he brought up the rear while the group made their way to the hangar. He spared a glare in Aki's direction.

"Perhaps you should wait until we actually know what we're doing, Cliff," Bohdi admonished him.

"Why would Thebes even bring us here if she didn't think a monster was gonna get in the way?" Cliff countered.

"The kid has a point. She probably wouldn't put us in charge of this if she didn't expect Proxordo might try something," Daniel put in, and Cliff grinned. "But he could stop acting like this is a video game."

"Listen buddy, where do you get off saying that? You're the new kid, remember?"

"The new kid who had to remind you about the objective, remember?" Daniel fired back.

"Speaking of, why don't we find out what the new one is before Thebes wonders what's taking us so long?" Caitlin suggested.

Daniel turned and led the way to the hangar without saying another word. Aki smirked at Cliff and followed, and the fuming teenager stomped down the hall. Bohdi was about to follow too but Caitlin grabbed him by the wrist.

"Can I ask you something, Bohdi?" she asked quietly.

"Of course."

"You went to practice with Daniel. Why did he ask for his own session?"

"Honestly? I think he wanted to have a chance to pilot his Ptolemic Machine again."

"That's all?"

Bohdi shrugged. "He's only been with us for a week, Caitlin. Besides, it's good to be back up to full strength." With that he strode purposefully down the hall after the others. Caitlin shook her head and followed.

A minute later the Stellarmen arrived in the hangar where Valentine had indeed been waiting for them. "Greetings, Stellarman," she said in her cheerful synthesized voice.

"Hello, Valentine," Bohdi returned. She seemed to smile at the acknowledgement.

"So what are we taking?" Daniel inquired. "The Advancer?"

"Oh no, we're using that," Valentine indicated a blue van with a few scattered dents nearby. She touched Daniel's communicator which glowed for a second then climbed in the back. "Daniel, you're in charge of navigation. Just push the yellow button.

"Aki, you're driving," Valentine added. "Please hurry, Stellarman. The sooner we arrive at the rendezvous point, the better." Aki grumbled and got into the driver's seat while the others piled into the back and slammed the doors. A minute later they were driving along an abandoned dirt road.

Daniel hit the yellow button and from one end of his communicator a holographic disc jumped, showing a map of the area. A light blue line marked the path they'd already traveled and a darker blue line the route they were taking. It led up into the seedy south part of town, and ended in the middle of a deserted old rail yard. Not a bad place, he supposed, to conduct business undisturbed.

He knocked on the door separating the front from the rear compartment. Bohdi opened it a second later. "Hey Valentine, what are we doing out here anyway? Thebes wouldn't tell us," said Daniel.

"We're going to meet someone from another branch," she lilted mechanically. "They'll be giving us the key part of a signal boosting system that, hopefully, will keep Proxordo from being able to intercept our communications from now on."

"Just what can these guys do, anyway?" Daniel wondered aloud and put the map on the dashboard so Aki could see. "They have guys made out of metal, they can turn their dead members into giants…hijacking calls doesn't sound like anything special."

"Yes, but you defeated them, remember?" Valentine pointed out. "We aren't weak or backward either, Daniel."

"Tell him, Val," Cliff grinned.

"I guess not," Daniel replied, sounding unconvinced.

"Don't worry, Daniel," Caitlin said reassuringly. "It was overwhelming for all of us at first."

"Maybe you kids were," Aki chuckled to herself. "This is nothing compared to what I have to deal with at home."

"Yeah? You seem to cope pretty well," Daniel noted.

"Yeah, 'cuz I don't go home if I can help it," Aki replied. "What's it like when you go home?"

"I haven't gone home since I was eleven," Daniel replied.

Talk was sparse for the rest of the drive. Daniel spent it gazing out the windshield and occasionally telling Aki which way to turn. Every once in a while Cliff thought he saw something zip across the sky out of the corner of one eye, but when he turned to get a closer look it was gone. By the time the van pulled to a stop, the silence inside was deafening.

Daniel and Aki motioned for the others to stay in the van and jumped out themselves. It didn't take long to spot their contact; the only other person around was a bony man in a worn out business suit and a five o'clock shadow. He was sitting on a battered bench with a battered briefcase beside him, looking like he was waiting to catch a battered train.

"Hey kids," he called. "One of you got the time?"

"Depends, you got the energy?" Aki smirked.

Daniel shot her a look of annoyance and replied to the man what he'd been told to say on the way over, "Don't know, man, my cell phone's busted."

"Maybe you should get a watch."

"Maybe, if a war wasn't on."

"You must be Daniel," he said. "And this comedian must be Aki. You took your time getting here."

"Got our gizmo, pal?" Daniel reminded him.

"Show me the robot, son. I have to know for sure."

Daniel waved to the van and the others opened the rear doors and piled out. Valentine wordlessly approached the contact and held out her hands, into which he placed the briefcase. The other Stellarmen warily glanced around in case Proxordo was nearby as she opened the case, surveyed the tube-shaped device inside, then tucked the case under one arm and bowed to the contact.

"Thank you sir. You've saved the lives of many brave operatives," she said with a bow. He nodded and walked off down the platform without saying a word. Valentine started back toward the van. Daniel was about to follow when he spotted Cliff sneaking behind a building. He started to call out but stopped. Why would Cliff listen to an order from him? Instead he whistled to make sure he had everyone's attention then darted around the side of the building after Cliff.

Daniel found Cliff crouched behind a dumpster that smelled like it hadn't been emptied. Ever. Cliff's glasses were aimed skyward, however, completely oblivious to the stench.

"Did you see that?" he asked.

"See what?" Daniel answered, but his question was answered even as he did. A small dark shape cruised silently toward them. It was a red bullet-shaped ship, with a glistening yellow P emblazoned on the side. From around the corner of a disheveled old warehouse came a group of people, all ages and ethnicities. They paused in front of the ship as a ramp lowered and a pair of Risen disembarked.

"Picking up some new recruits, huh?" Daniel whispered.

"Looks like we get to crack some skulls after all," Cliff grinned.

"I have a better idea."

"Huh?"

"Look at it. People are going into the ship, nobody's coming out. They're obviously here to pick up new members, not attack us, so why should there be anything to fight inside?" Daniel answered. "I'm gonna sneak on board. After Valentine gets that thing going, you guys call me and I'll tell you where I am."

Daniel didn't wait for an answer. The ramp was lifting and he bolted for it. There was no one in sight as he reached a branching hallway but he heard excited murmuring coming from one direction so he went the other and ducked into the first door he saw.

Daniel half-expected to find out he was wrong, to find himself face-to-face with another one of their monsters like Prox Chain, but all that was on the other side was an empty room with a small circular window. He could feel the ship starting to ascend, so he sat against the window and watched as Cape Lombard grew smaller below then shrank into the southeast.

It felt like a long time passed as the ship zoomed at incredible speed over wilderness, broken only by the occasional highway. Daniel was realizing just how futile it would be to keep track of his position went when he heard a fierce whisper at the door.

"Daniel, where are you?"

"Bohdi?" He slipped the door open a crack to see that it was indeed the pale hulk. A second later the others had gathered behind him and Daniel let them in. "What are you guys doing here?"

"This is a team, remember?" Caitlin said pointedly.

"Did any of you guys tell Valentine what we're doing?" Daniel persisted.

"She's smart, she'll figure out it was important then call us when she can," Bohdi assured him. "I wish I could say the same for what we're doing."

"How is this not smart? This'll take us to their base. We can end this now, or at least do a ton of damage."

Cliff looked at Daniel and made a thoughtful noise. Caitlin and Aki exchanged uncertain looks while Bohdi said nothing for a minute, then sighed. "Daniel?"

"Yes?"

Bohdi clapped a giant hand on his shoulder. "I wish I could make decisions the way you do."

Daniel studied Bohdi for a long moment. His lipless mouth was closed tight, as if from worry, and the lids of his tiny eyes were sagging, as if from fatigue. Probably wasn't dealing with the stress of Daniel's rash decision too well.

"Guys, you probably wanna see this," Aki interrupted as she peered out the window. The others crowded around it and without exception gasped at what they saw.

Sprawled out below them was a massive city. It was full of gleaming towers capped with silvery pyramids, while elsewhere were golden cylinders rising toward the sky, but most were only half-completed skeletons of the majestic buildings around them. In the skies above the strange city were other ships like theirs, and at that moment there came the unmistakable feelings of deceleration and descent.

"I don't believe it," Daniel whispered.

"Me either," Aki added. "There's no way this could be out here with nobody knowing."

"Maybe we can only see it because they're letting us in," Caitlin suggested.

"Their mistake," Cliff said quietly.

The city grew larger, and slowly crept to a stop in a neat row alongside others like itself. After a minute the five of them could hear the shuffling of feet and murmured voices coming toward them from the other side of the ship, then disappearing into the distance. Daniel slowly slid the door open a crack, then tiptoed out. The others followed him toward the boarding ramp, glancing around anxiously, but the only people they saw were disappearing through an arch at the edge of the landing strip.

"Stay out of sight," Daniel warned.

"We're not idiots, you know," Cliff huffed back.

"We ARE right in the middle of Proxordo's base," Caitlin said.

Aki turned to Daniel. "This was your idea, kid. What do we do now?"

"Find something that looks important, and break it," Daniel shrugged. He jogged toward the arch and peered through. The streets were full of people, all ages and ethnicities, some wearing suits that cost more than his tuition at Armstrong, some wearing nothing more than ratty loincloths. A line of Risen were gently herding them down the street.

"What do we, Bohdi?" Cliff asked, as if he hadn't heard Daniel.

"Since we're here, we might as well see what all the noise is about," the alien replied. He pulled out his communicator and just as Daniel was about to snatch it from his hand in alarm Bohdi pressed a button and vanished. In his place was a broad-shouldered black man with no hair and a black suit on.

"What the…??" Daniel sputtered.

"I don't like being the center of attention," Bohdi said with a smile.

"What about the rest of us?" Daniel tried to warn them.

"Daniel, have you noticed how overconfident they are in Proxordo?" Bohdi said matter-of-factly. "The only ones who got a good look at you are a few Risen and a dead monster. Do you think any of them bothered to make a record of your face, in case you got away?" Without waiting for a reply he stepped into the street and joined the procession. Bohdi made a motion with one hand and the other Stellarmen spread out a little from one another as they joined the crowd. So as not to attract attention, Daniel guessed as he did the same. Was that the same Bohdi who'd panicked in the depths of the ship the last time they'd faced Proxordo?

_Why did we sneak in if we're going to join the stupid parade?_ Daniel thought. He stepped into the crowd, expecting a blow to the head any second. It didn't come. The Risen only shot him annoyed glares, he assumed for lagging behind. Maybe Thebes had put Bohdi in charge for a reason after all.

"Hey," a young woman nudged Daniel and smiled. "What's the matter?"

"Not sure this is for real," he said.

She smiled even wider. "I know, it's like we're in a movie or something. But if they can build this city, maybe they can save the world."

_Wonder if you've seen the same side of them I have,_ Daniel thought. They entered a massive square, dominated by a high stone pedestal that looked like it should've supported a statue. Suddenly there was a flash atop the pedestal and standing on it was a man standing a good fifteen feet tall, his face hidden behind a golden visor.

Amro Vayon.

"Welcome!" he called in a booming voice. If indeed it was him. Peering harder at the towering figure they could see he was just barely transparent. "Welcome, all of you, to Haven, home of the new order!

"I apologize for the week between contact and allowing you entrance, but I had to be sure your conviction was strong enough to withstand it. Our cause is not for the impatient, the quitters, and those looking for a new thrill. The problems facing the world are real. Deadly real, but, if you have the will to seize control of humankind's fate, I can provide the power to do it."

"I'm ready to take charge!" a man's voice rang up from just below the pedestal. Vayon let out a great, bellowing laugh.

"Then you shall be the latest!" Vayon's image pointed his staff at the speaker and there was an eruption of golden particles. When they cleared, he stood up, his skin a dull metal sheen. A Risen.

"This is…amazing!" he declared, opening and closing his powerful new hands. People all throughout the crowd murmured excitedly.

"Any whose heart is truly set on the salvation of our world may share in this power!" Vayon declared. A scattered cheer went up. "Know this, though," he said, his voice grave, "Among you are intruders who snuck into our city unbidden, hoping to achieve who knows what."

A dry breeze blew through the square, quiet yet deafening.

Daniel's blood ran cold. This would be a day to remember.

If they lived to remember.


	4. Phase 4: Initiation

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 4: Initiation

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

No one spoke, no one moved. Everyone was shooting suspicious glances at each other. The Risen clenched their batons threateningly, waiting for the first sign of trouble to pounce. Vayon rapped his staff on the ground and all eyes were on him again.

"Calm yourselves, the loyal among you. There is nothing to fear within the walls of Haven. Not even from these five."

Five? He _did_ know…

"We are not the enemy," Vayon continued. "If they are determined to be here, I ask only that they permit us to show them what we are before they do anything…inadvisable," Vayon, or rather his image, said. He banged his staff against the pedestal. Suddenly, the five felt themselves flying…

Flying. Cliff was flying. No chill, no scenes from his life flashing before his eyes, no sensation of the flesh being charred off his bones before he even had a chance to blink. He had started to wonder what was going on when he was on the ground again. Bohdi was beside him, the alien's disguise short-circuited by whatever power had displaced them, and nearby were the others. However, they weren't in the square.

One wall was taken up by a window overlooking the city; they were at least ten stories up, but he didn't have time to be sure. Sitting in a chair on the other side of the room, a pair of hovering screens showing the square and what looked like a factory in front of him, was Amro Vayon himself.

He stood up and the screens disappeared. "Greetings. Stellarman, I presume. Please, sit down. You've had a long journey, have you not?" Five chairs rose out of the floor as he spoke.

Cliff balled a fist. The others exchanged wary glances. "Ah, you're unsure of my sincerity, is that it? As you've had the decency to come unmasked, why don't I do the same?" Vayon removed his helmet, revealing a pale, elfin face and a cascade of white, wavy hair. "Now then, allow me to welcome you to--"

"Suck on this!" Cliff launched himself at Vayon. His fist arced toward Vayon's head but just before it made contact Vayon's body turned transparent. Cliff gasped in surprise and fell right through their host.

Vayon shook his head and flickered back to solidity. "If I were a lesser man I might take offense at that."

Daniel shook his own head. "Listen pal, I'm not exactly friends with that guy, but I can see why he'd want to take a swing. We had to climb through a whole pile of corpses last time we saw your guys, and that's another thing. You sent 'em along to make sure we didn't get to our machines. We almost didn't, in fact."

Vayon sighed. "I…apologize. Proxordo is a new organization, after all, one with grand designs, and sometimes those who wish to make a difference are a bit too eager. I did dispatch Kamandetes and a Truthcraft to secure those vehicles of yours, but I ordered them only captured, not shot down."

"You sound real broke up about it," Aki said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The people who crewed that ship had lives, families," Caitlin snapped. "You don't care at all your people killed them?"

"What would you have of me?" Vayon countered. "I can do many things. I built Haven with no-one knowing, I knew of your arrival from halfway across it, but I can't raise the dead. And am I not to defend myself from an obvious and significant threat? After seeing that…machine of yours tear apart my Truthcraft, I would call it nothing less.

"I don't blame you for being wary of me, Stellarman. My powers and the perceptions they open to me are beyond anything humankind has ever experienced. That's why I'm sure we can complement each other very well, however. You have abilities far beyond those of your peers, surely you don't see the world the way they do."

"I don't think I like where this is going, pal," Daniel cut him off.

"Do not be so quick to take offense. Would anyone you know have dared sneak aboard a strange craft such as one of Proxordo's? Would they have battled anything such as Prox Chain? Would they have battled anything? You know the answer as well as I, Stellarman. Our abilities place us on another level from the rest. Show them some trifling display of power, and you start hearing words like 'angel' and 'savior'."

Vayon sighed and looked out the window. "Proxordo wouldn't have grown nearly as fast as it has without such grateful supplicants filling our ranks, I'm shamed to admit, but fulfilling our cause is what matters, wouldn't you agree?"

"No, I don't know if I would," Daniel replied.

Vayon shook his head. "If you only knew what 'seeing the big picture' really means. In my case it's as if the outer layer of the world has been stripped away. I can see all the parasitic forces eating away without restraint at the lifeblood of our world." He clenched his teeth and fist as he spoke, then sucked in a loud breath. Stellarman exchanged uneasy glances.

"As I said, however, your powers are considerable in their own right. I would seek your allegiance, Stellarman. Of course…I must make sure last time wasn't a fluke."

"Who says we want to join you?" Aki asked. Bohdi shut her up with a sharp look, but already the ends of Vayon's mouth were curling upward in amusement. Suddenly Vayon's body erupted with golden light, and a wave of blinding pain swept over the five youths. Cliff gave into an urge to cry out, but his voice had disappeared. Power was pouring from Vayon's very being, a power none of them had ever felt.

"Observe, my honored guests." Vayon banged his staff against the floor and the view of Haven outside the window changed. Through it they could see the skyline of Cape Lombard. "This is the city where you reside, is it not? Just as good as any in the end, though." He banged his staff again and there was a green flash. When it cleared they could see a gigantic green and silver monster with a domed head and tuning forks in place of hands. He slammed one into a building causing it to shake, then crumble to bits.

"Prox Tone, a fearsome creation indeed," Vayon explained. "What will you do, Stellarman? Will you plead with me to call him off? Will you bring your terrible machines here? Or will you rush home to battle my creation? The choice is yours, Stellarman. I will remove myself from this debacle, but I will be watching," he said, paused menacingly, then added, "and keep those oversized toys of yours away from my city, if you value your lives."

Then he rapped his staff on the floor, and again they felt themselves flying. After a moment they felt their feet touching the ground, and again the surroundings were different.

They were even less friendly than before.

Stellarman had landed in what appeared to be an arena. There were high walls surrounding a kind of pit where they stood, and above the walls rows and rows of benches. They didn't have long to take it in. Surrounding them was a ring of Risen, the metal minions of Vayon's order. They were different from those Stellarman had seen before, however. Each wore a helmet with T-shaped slit in the full-face visor, a heavy breastplate, greaves and gauntlets. Each had a club pointed at the Stellarman nearest them, but unlike in their previous encounters with the Risen a plume of red light danced on the tip of each weapon like a flame. None looked inclined to put his away.

"So these are the intruders," sneered one. "What'd a bunch of kids like you think you were doing sneaking into Haven?"

Cliff shouldered him to the ground. "You think I'm not sick of hearing _her_ say it?!" The Risen raised their torch-like weapons.

"Let's go!" Daniel yelled. "Cosmic Evolution!" Their five rings flared. Powered enveloped them, sheathing them in dazzling uniforms and helmets.

"Sound off!" Bohdi yelled.

One by one, they obeyed.

Aki: "Star of Freedom! StellarBlue!"

Caitlin: "Star of Hope! StellarPink!"

Cliff: "Star of Strength! StellarYellow!"

Bohdi: "Star of Wisdom! StellarBlack!"

Daniel: "Star of Courage! StellarRed! With the power of the heavens to protect the Earth…"

All five voices joined together, "COSMIC SQUADRON STELLARMAN!"

With that, Stellarman broke and charged their assailants. The battle was joined.

* * *

Valentine bolted through the halls of Sol Dome, barely aware of the technicians she almost collided with on her way. Finally the doors to the communications hub were in front of her. They took an eternity to slide into their recesses, but Valentine didn't wait. As soon as they were open wide enough to accommodate her she darted through.

She thrust the case they'd picked up into the hands of the first worker she saw. "Install this. Right away." Valentine was turning away when she was stopped by the sight of Commander Thebes marching into the room.

"Valentine, what's going on?" Thebes demanded. "I see you running through the halls like a bat out of hell, and all by yourself. Where's Stellarman?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know??"

"They went off to investigate something. After I waited half an hour I decided to return to Sol Dome and see if we could raise them on the comm after the system's upgraded."

"Let me know the second that thing's safe to use, you hear me?" Thebes barked at the technicians. Without waiting for an answer she marched out of the room again and motioned for Valentine to follow.

"Commander, what do you think happened?" the robot asked, a worried edge to her artificial voice.

"It's one of two things, Valentine," Thebes answered. "Stellarman either did something very brave, or very stupid, but I have a feeling in either case, it's something very bad."

That was when the sirens started to blare.

Bohdi's meaty hand closed around the grip of his gun. "Switch Magnum, Sword Mode!" The barrel flicked down and the thin blade popped up to take its place. Just in time he parried a Risen's attempt to smack their torch into his head then sent his attacker tumbling into a charging group of reinforcements with a kick to the stomach.

"Go easy on 'em!" Daniel cried out over the din of battle. He fended off strikes from three Risen at once as they circled around and around him, looking for an opening. "They probably don't know they're working for a lunatic."

"Typical!" snorted one of his attackers. He was silenced when Daniel swung his sword in a wide arc that knocked the torches from their hands, then swung in another arc that bowled them over.

"You go easy!" Cliff yelled. "Your idea didn't work, now I'm doin' it my way!" He tackled a pair of Risen and battered them off their feet with his bare hands. Without missing a beat Cliff hoisted one of his fallen opponents above his head and pitched him like a football into another group of Risen charging up to help the ones he'd just floored. Another charged up from behind and jabbed his burning torch into Cliff's back, but Cliff only grunted then knocked him flat on his metal back with one punch.

Aki moved like a blue blur through a cluster of Risen, landing a punch to the jaw on one, a kick to the stomach on the next, then with a flourish drew her sword and slashed a third out of her way. "Don't have too much fun, kid! Save yourself for the weekend!" she called.

"Focus on the fight!" Caitlin shouted. The distraction was long enough for her to catch a torch on one shoulder, which she repaid with a vicious smack from her sword. He went spinning into a wall so hard it cracked where he hit. Caitlin knocked the last three Risen off their feet with one slash.

A pall of silence fell over the arena. Caitlin knelt to touch her fingertips against the neck of the nearest Risen and was alarmed to feel no pulse, only to remember they weren't dealing with real people. Who was to say Risen had blood, or even hearts? "Do they look okay to you guys?" she called to her teammates.

"Your concern is noted," a booming voice said from above them. They looked up and spied someone walking down to them through the rows of benches, shrouded in shadow though he was. He was gigantic, eight feet from head to toe if he was an inch. Stellarman didn't flinch until they made out the thick tail dragging along the ground behind him. All at once he dropped to all fours and sped down through the benches like a rocket, vaulted off the lowest level and landed with a dull *BOOM* in the middle of the group.

He was no Risen like they'd been expecting. His thick arms and legs were covered in dark green scales. His head was the long and flat head of an alligator, and a gauzy crest ran from the top of it to the middle of his back. Contrasting strangely with his feral appearance were the ornate silver breastplate, greaves and wrist guards wrapped around his powerful frame.

"What the hell are you?" Cliff demanded, sounding distinctly unimpressed.

"The shield that defends the loyal followers of the Truth, General Haikoga!" the reptilian declared proudly. Then he spun and lashed out at Cliff with his gigantic tail. The surprised teen became a yellow blur that flew through the air and hit the far wall hard enough to crack the stone.

Without wasting a second Haikoga lunged at Bohdi who managed to seize him by the shoulders and fling him away toward the ceiling. Haikoga suddenly twisted in mid-air, looped his tail around Bohdi's waist and threw him into Daniel. The two collapsed into a black and red heap.

"Switch Magnum!" Aki and Caitlin yelled together, reverted their swords back into firing configuration, and pulled the triggers. A pair of beams screamed toward Haikoga, who made no effort to dodge, and a second later they saw why. Their shots hit him full in the chest, but nothing happened. Without warning he pounced like a giant cat and tackled the girls to the floor.

"These are the dreaded Stellarmen?" Haikoga scoffed in disbelief. "The ones who bested Kamandetes? I was expecting better."

"Cliff! You okay?" Daniel sputtered as soon as he managed to untangle himself from Bohdi.

"Don't worry about me, stupid!" Cliff yelled. Daniel got his meaning and rolled out of the way just before Haikoga's fist shattered the slab where he'd been lying. Daniel punched Haikoga hard but he recovered in a blink and slammed his fist into Daniel's ribs. He staggered backward, and it took Cliff a second to realize the red on Daniel's suit was darkening at the point of impact. Bohdi tackled Haikoga from behind but the reptile laughed and heaved him off with a swing of his shoulders.

Cliff yelled, "Grav-Hammer!" and clutched the haft of a heavy war hammer that appeared in response. He slammed it into Haikoga's chest and sent him staggering back, slammed it again and Haikoga spun drunkenly into the wall. Cliff swung the hammer a third time to deal the finishing blow, but Haikoga ducked underneath and knocked Cliff's legs out from under him with a tail-sweep.

"Get away from my brother!" Caitlin's voice cut the air. Before Haikoga could press his counterattack Caitlin came flying over Cliff's prone form, her Switch Magnum blazing pink beams that glanced off her foe's armor as before. Time seemed to slow as her jump carried her close enough to trade blows with Haikoga. He grinned, showing all his sharp teeth, and cocked back a fist the size of Caitlin's head. Suddenly she called out, "Clash Knuckle!" and a thick metal gauntlet formed on her right fist. She threw a fierce hook, knocking Haikoga's arm aside and grazing his jaw. His head snapped backward, and time snapped back to normal.

Haikoga rubbed at his bruised jaw, then snarled as he spotted blood on his palm. "Well done, girl," he congratulated her, "but all you've done is convinced me not to hold back." Haikoga charged, knocking Cliff, Bohdi, Caitlin and Daniel over with his fists then seizing Aki with his powerful jaws just before she could summon a better weapon. He viciously threw her on top of her friends, then whipped around and spewed a gout of flames from his gaping mouth, forming a ring around Stellarman. Almost immediately they started to feel the fire sear through their uniforms.

"Bohdi, what do we??" Aki half-squealed.

"What?! I--" Bohdi started, then stopped. He rushed at the wall of flame, but it roared even higher and Bohdi staggered back. Outside the flames, Haikoga smirked.

"Show me the source of Vayon's faith, Stellarman!" he goaded.

"Bohdi, what do we do?!" Cliff pressed, but the black-clad Stellarman could only glance back and forth helplessly as the flames roared higher.

"Maybe--no! No! It's hopeless!"

"Black!" Daniel said sharply and at once all eyes were on him. "Calm down. You ever read Dune?"

"No! What does that have to--"

"I'll tell you later. Look, you know how we concentrate Starlight into our fists or weapons sometimes to make our attacks stronger? What if instead of focusing it like that, we focused it into a wave that cleared away the fire away?"

"You're nuts!" Cliff scoffed.

"You have a better idea, kid?" Aki shot back. "I don't know about you but I have plans this weekend!"

"Quiet!" Bohdi barked. "Do what he says! Focus all your Starlight on one point!" Stellarman hastily formed a ring and extended their hands into the center. They concentrated and five currents of Starlight flowed from their fingertips into a sphere of white light. Around them the fire crept closer, but they didn't dare spare the attention to notice.

The power held within the sphere swelled until it nearly touched their outstretched fingertips. "Now!" Daniel commanded. "Release!" They concentrated harder still and the sphere dispersed, becoming a torrent of light that spread toward the encroaching ring fire and pushed it back. The fire pushed the light back, but only for a second. The light surged forward, dispersing the flames, and suddenly meeting no resistance the light sped forward and slammed into Haikoga. The surprised reptile caught the wave in his powerful hands but only managed to grapple with it for a second before it swept him right off his feet. He hit the wall with a sickening thud.

Almost at once Haikoga was on his feet again, but he was bleeding from a dozen abrasions all over his body, and his breastplate had a prominent crack running down the center. He opened his mouth and with no detectable irony said, "Well done." With that he jumped straight up and disappeared amid the shadows in the ceiling.

"Everyone okay?" Bohdi asked after a minute, w hen he was sure Haikoga was indeed gone.

"I think so," Caitlin answered. "If this is how Vayon expects to get us to join, he's nuts."

"I don't think you're that far off," Daniel said. "But that's even more reason we have to get out of here. I can't believe I thought this was a good idea."

"Daniel," Bohdi said, "how were you to know what kind of--" Right then, Bohdi's communicator rang. He almost jumped in surprise then unhooked it and pressed the receive button.

"Stellarman, what's your situation?" demanded the voice of Commander Thebes.

"The comm's safe?" Bohdi said and sighed in relief. "It's a long story, Commander, and I don't think we can spare the time. Can you track our location?"

"Yes, but--"

"I'm sorry, Commander. I'll explain everything later." Bohdi closed the transmission and pressed a sequence of buttons. A second later a synthesized voice announced "Ptolemic Machines, Deployed."

"Black, what did you just do?" Daniel demanded.

"Daniel, I know what you're thinking. Who knows what Vayon will do if he finds out we called the mecha here despite his warning?" Bohdi answered, but a hint of panic rose in his voice as he continued. "Ask yourself, do we dare worry about that? It's not enough he dropped us here to fight one of his monsters, he sent another one to destroy Cape Lombard while we're busy here! And remember all that power you felt Vayon giving off? We couldn't even move when he released it. This trip's a bust, we need to get back _now_. "

"Guys," Aki interrupted, "it sounds like we got company!"

"What are you talking about?" Cliff demanded, but he didn't wonder for long. A distant sound like a wave pounding a beach quickly turned into the screams of a thousand blood-crazed men and women. From where Haikoga had appeared poured a mob of Risen, armed and armored like the ones Stellarman had just fought. They stormed right over the motionless forms of their fallen comrades.

"Switch Magnum!" Bohdi and Aki drew their guns and sent black and blue beams blazing into the ground, sending sparks fountaining up in front of the Risen. When the metallic soldiers charged through the cloud of sparks, the Stellarmen were nowhere to be seen.

At least, not by that group of Risen. They were barreling down the street outside the arena toward the arcing transparent wall that marked the edge of Haven.

"Somebody tell me the point of this little exercise?" Cliff grumbled.

"Shut up and run!" Daniel snapped. Cliff growled back but said nothing. There was no time to argue even if he'd wanted; from every doorway, every window, every space between buildings Risen appeared, carrying torches and screaming fit to raise the dead. A murderous, metallic wave formed behind Stellarman and surged toward them from left, right and behind. The edge of the city crept closer, but behind Stellarman the enraged howl of the mob grew louder.

"Don't give up now, guys! We're almost there!" Daniel yelled over the noise in the most unyielding voice he could manage.

"Our eyes work too, kid!" Aki yelled back.

"Then help me bust through!" Daniel and Aki slashed at the edge of the dome with their swords. It rang from the blows, but didn't show so much as a mark.

"Oh great," Cliff groaned.

"Everyone," Bohdi said. "Let's use that attack we've been practicing."

There was no time to argue, the Risen were so close the ground was quivering under the pounding of their countless feet. Each Stellarman drew their gun and held the weapons in a vertical ring in front of them. The barrels started to glow, red, black, blue, yellow and pink. As one, they cried, "Trigger Fury!" and fired. Five beams shot forth, spinning together into a single stream of energy. It flared blindingly and became a shooting star that hit the wall and with a thundering *BOOM* blew a jagged hole in the dome. In the next instant Stellarman was diving through it one after the other.

Stellarman landed on a large metal ring encircling the dome and staggered away as fast they could. Almost as soon as they were clear of the ring, however, compartments flipped open and enormous guns rose out. With a deafening roar they sent beams of red energy blazing at Stellarman. As one they braced for the end, but the shots flew past and tore into the ground almost at the edge of their vision. A huge dust cloud gathered where they'd hit.

Then they saw what the real target had been.

A dazzling red shape, Daniel's robot Wolf, came dashing into sight. Behind it were the other Ptolemic Machines, Fox, Hydra, Eagle, and Lizard. As soon as Stellarman realized the Machines were there they felt tingling, vanishing from the blasted ground outside Haven and reforming in the cockpit of each robot.

"Scatter!" Daniel shouted, which the five machines did just in time to avoid the worst of another laser barrage. Boulders and dirt clumps bounced off their armor, but that was the worst of it.

"Stellarman, you brought your machines to my city even though I warned you otherwise!" Vayon's voice echoed from somewhere above them, yet from nowhere. The ground rumbled, and cracks formed around the ring bordering Haven.

"Forget him, we have to get back!" Bohdi shouted even though they could hear him just fine over the comlink. He wheeled his Hydra around and led the others in a withdrawal.

"We came here to end this, now we're just leavin'," Cliff grumbled, observing rather than asking.

"Ah, I see your intentions now!" Vayon's voice rang out again, this time sounding almost friendly. "Well done, Stellarman! We will meet again!

"Next time I see you I'm gonna kick your face in, psycho!" Cliff promised, thrusting a fist to the sky.

Vayon didn't answer, if indeed he could hear them. The rumbling grew stronger and suddenly Haven slowly floated up, freeing itself from the dirt and rock in which it was moored. It flew past the Ptolemic Machines even as they increased speed, gaining altitude as it did. Suddenly Haven rocketed into the distance, like the Millennium Falcon going to light speed.

Without exchanging a word, Stellarman urged the Ptolemic Machines to full speed.

* * *

"Come out, Stellarman! Your city crumbles while I wait for you!" Prox Tone taunted.

Commander Thebes bit her lip helplessly as she watched him swat a fighter plane from the sky with one fork then swept it toward a pair of attack helicopters, blowing them to bits. Around him were piles of rubble that minutes before had been skyscrapers.

"Commander," Valentine walked up to her. "Stellarman's alive on their way. They'll destroy that monster, rest assured."

"I know, Valentine, I know. It's just…If only I could…" She trailed off as Prox Tone stomped toward an elevated roadway full of drivers trying to reach safety. Commander Thebes held her breath while another plane swooped by, strafing the monster futilely. It too was batted out of the sky almost casually, but just as Prox Tone was about bring down his massive foot on the road, Thebes heard the sound of weapon fire, and the monster was knocked off his feet.

On the horizon were five dim shapes, but within seconds Thebes could make them out. A giant wolf, an eagle, a five-headed hydra, a lizard, a fox. The light of the setting sun glinted off their sleek forms.

"It's about time you kids got back…" Thebes muttered, but with undeniable relief.

Over the communicator she heard five voices raise. "Star Cross!" Not stopping in their charge, the Ptolemic Machines folded and reconfigured themselves. Wolf turned vertical with its hind legs extending downward and panels on its back flipping outward resembling shoulders. Lizard and Fox folded their legs up inside and then bent upward at the neck and attacked to the bottom of the wolf, becoming legs. Eagle folded in its wings, assuming a rectangular shape, and lodged itself the hollow in Wolf's back. Eagle's head flipped backward revealing a silvery human mask. Finally, Hydra descended toward the gestalt. Its outermost heads detached from the whole then affixed themselves to the shoulder joints extended from wolf, becoming arms. The next two heads affixed to the top of the shoulders and the last closed around the head like a helmet.

"Roaring Sentinel, StellarSavage!" The ground around its gigantic feet erupted with streams of white power, and indeed it roared. Proudly, challengingly, shaking the walls of the buildings still standing. Prox Tone halted his spree of destruction, seeming to grin at the sight of an opponent matching him in stature. "Stellarman, so you've finally come. I was afraid I'd level this entire town and not have to face you."

"We'll level _you_, pal!" Cliff yelled.

"Ha! Prove it with your weapons, not your mouth!" Prox Tone clashed his forks together and unleashed a massive sonic wave at StellarSavage that just barely cleared it with a jump. It hurtled toward Prox Tone with claws gleaming from the setting sun…


	5. Phase 5: Lapse

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 5: Lapse

By David Anderson

StellarSavage sank its claws into Prox Tone's face. The monster yowled and brought down one of his forks on StellarSavage's shoulder, shaking Stellarman around violently in the cockpit. Sparks fountained up from where the blow had landed. Prox Tone charged in to strike again but his opponent deftly seized him by both wrists.

"Serpent Salvo!" Bohdi yelled, and StellarSavage responded by spewing a volley of laser bolts from Hydra's heads. Prox Tone screamed as they ripped into his armor and had no time to defend himself when StellarSavage sent him flying head over heels with a powerful kick.

Prox Tone landed in a heap, and StellarSavage stomped closer. Suddenly, desperately, Prox Tone smashed his forks against the ground. The earth quaked, sending StellarSavage staggering back and forth. Before it could recover Prox Tone darted pasted and hit them with one fork, sending the robot spinning into a half-collapsed building.

"Hear the sounds of salvation, Stellarman!" Prox Tone taunted.

Cliff pounded his fists on his console. "Shut him up! Shut him up! If I have to listen to one more freak today…!"

"Let's do it, then!" Daniel affirmed. "Claw Driver!"

StellarSavage shimmered then blasted off along the ground toward Prox Tone, leaving a trail of golden Starlight behind it. Its outstretched hand spun at the wrist until it was a glowing spike. Prox Tone started to swing his forks together but it was too late. StellarSavage rammed its spinning claws into Prox Tone's chest. The monster barely had time to scream before the surge of power flung him high into the air, where he exploded dramatically.

"That," Bohdi whispered, "sucked…"

* * *

"…death toll estimated to be in the hundreds, but exact figures are unavailable at this time," said an on-the-scene reporter, looking decidedly out of place in his pressed blue suit and neatly coifed hair amidst the piles of rubble that had been buildings not an hour before. The five Stellarmen, reverted to five exhausted youths again, sat on a U-shaped sofa in a lounge back in Sol Dome, watching the report.

"In addition," the reporter continued, "authorities have declined to comment on the giant robot that appeared and fended off the creature responsible for wrecking a good portion of east Cape Lombard." The view shifted to a shot of StellarSavage standing between two decimated buildings looking like an enormous knight in armor, its claws still glowing from the strike that finished off Prox Tone. The robot turned and walked toward the edge of town, where it split into its five pieces and raced out of sight.

"Speculation is already rampant among the people whose lives have been turned upside down by this sudden attack on--" Abruptly the TV clicked off, and the five looked up to see Commander Thebes standing beside the set.

"I suppose you're wondering why I kept you here after the day you've had, eh?"

"Something to do with explaining where the hell we went while a monster was ripping up town and what a stupid idea I had," Daniel hazarded, sounding like he'd been expecting the question all day, but Thebes shook her head.

"That was a reckless thing you did, Daniel, but I don't just need you all to be willing to fight monsters. I need you to be able to recognize opportunities you might not get again and seize them. No, sneaking into the heart of Proxordo's operations didn't pan out, but you weren't afraid to take the chance when it came along. All five of you.

"I could be a hardass and ream you for pulling a stunt like that without consulting me, but this is just the beginning, team. There are going to be lots of times like this, and you'll only survive if you can see the openings when they come and depend on each other in a pinch. After today, I think you're well on your way."

The five nodded, but didn't reply. It had been a harrowing afternoon, and a Friday besides. "Thank you, Commander," Bohdi spoke up after a long minute of silence, "but I believe the team could do with some rest."

"Agreed, but I'll see you all again tomorrow afternoon at four sharp. Have a nice night, kids."

Cliff and Aki groaned, but Daniel and Caitlin just nodded and headed out of the room, their faces lined with fatigue. Thebes was about to leave too but Bohdi cleared his throat. "Commander, may I have a word? In private?"

The door slide shut behind the last of his teammates. "All right Bohdi, what is it?"

"Commander, I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, but I don't think it's in Stellarman's best interests for me to remain in command," he said slowly.

"Why is that?" she asked evenly, betraying no reaction positive or negative.

Bohdi sucked in a breath before he answered. "I'm not used to being the center of attention. To be perfectly honest, I hate it. I know I've had more training with Starlight than the others, but I really don't think that makes me fit to lead. Thank you for choosing me, Commander, but for the good of the team I think you might want to put someone else in charge of field command."

"All right," Thebes replied in that almost infuriatingly level manner. "Can you see anyone else leading Stellarman? I can't very well let you pass the torch without someone to pass it to."

"Well, since you asked…"

* * *

Cliff looked at the bright red "A" on the test paper he'd been handed back that afternoon, not looking quite so bright anymore. He hadn't minded a chance to crack some skulls, but this had been…different.

Caitlin clapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, cheer up. At least we get to sleep in tomorrow."

Cliff wanted to say something harsh and biting, but nothing came. It didn't, not when it was his sister. He stopped at the long walk to their front door and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his fingertips. "What are we gonna tell mom and dad this time?"

Caitlin sighed. "I don't know. Maybe we can say Maria dragged me out shopping and I made her take you along."

"You think if we ask Thebes, she'll start makin' up alibis for us?" Cliff rubbed his nose one last time and slid his glasses back into place.

"She does, but she doesn't think you want to owe her anything. And she thinks my excuses are better for us than what she comes up with."

"Seriously," Cliff mumbled and pulled out his key. Before they even turned the corner onto their property, though, they saw he wouldn't need it. The long U-shaped drive was filled from end to end with luxury cars that looked like they'd rolled off the assembly line that morning. The lights were on in the dining room and they could see the silhouettes of unfamiliar people.

Cliff rubbed his nose again. "I knew it. Company. Without telling us, as usual."

"Mom and dad have a life too."

"Is that what people call it?" He started up the front walk without waiting for an answer. For all his bluster Cliff knew as well she that he was exhausted from the week, from the day, and just wanted to get inside and sort everything out in the morning.

They saw no one as they made their way up the front walk and silently slid open the door. Again, no one. Cliff almost slipped on the tiles as they snuck in. They'd obviously been scrubbed to perfection while the two were out. Not only that, the hand-carved doorframes were free of dust, no easy task considering the elaborate leaf patterning. The rug running the length of the room had been replaced completely. This surprised Cliff, who'd listened to their father say all month how he was going to have it mended after the incident with mom's new dog.

"Man…dad must really want to impress whoever's in there with him," Cliff said, wrinkling his nose at the aroma of hand-rolled cigars wafting into the room.

"Let's do him a favor and stay out of his way, huh?" Caitlin suggested.

"Sure," Cliff agreed, "just let me get something to drink." They walked down the opposite hall as quietly as they could into the kitchen. Cliff rooted through the fridge until he found some bottled water for the two of them and had just shut the door when they realized someone was standing in the doorway, watching.

"Hello, Cliff," said a man in a black suit with immaculate hair. Cliff could almost feel the room get colder. "When did you two get in? I didn't hear a word from you this afternoon."

"Hi, dad," Cliff replied. "I went to get Catie after school, but one of her friends dragged her off to some dumb sale. I couldn't let her go by herself, right?"

"He's right dad, we met some of my friends on the way back and decided to celebrate the weekend," Caitlin explained. "We kind of lost track of time…"

"Is that so?"

Cliff bristled. "Look, I know where you think I was, but I wasn't. Am I bleeding anywhere? You see any fresh scabs on me?"

"That doesn't prove anything, young man. Maybe you're just smart enough to pick on people who can't hit back," his father said darkly. "Cliff, you've got to start thinking about your future. What kinds of schools do you think will accept you if you keep on picking fights?"

Cliff clenched his teeth behind his lips. Fighting. Yes, Cliff had gotten into fights at school. Not a few, either. And there had been the odd night where he'd stayed out late to teach some punk a lesson, almost all of whom reported him, but none of whom had had the stomach to take another shot at him after the first broken nose. He'd never used his powers to show a punk who was in charge, however. Something he was proud of.

To presume he fought for its own sake, though, as he was sure his father did, was absurd. Cliff was just determined not to wind up like the other members of his social caste. The nerds. The intellectuals. The easy targets. If someone thought they were going to get some cheap thrills walking all over him, they were mistaken. Sorely mistaken.

At first he'd even thought his father would approve that he wasn't letting anyone push him around, but as soon as the first call from the dean came home Cliff had gotten the reaming of his life. What kind of young man of breeding got into fights like a common thug, and a million other things Cliff was in no hurry to remember.

"It's the truth, dad," was all Cliff said. "Ask Catie if you don't believe me."

"It's true," she said. "Cliff was with me all afternoon. He didn't get into any fights."

"Just get to bed and never pull a stunt like this again, understood?"

"Yes, _sir_," Cliff grunted, clutched his bottled water and edged past his father through the door. Caitlin followed, a nervous cast to her features.

"Cliff…" his father suddenly spoke up.

"Yes?" Cliff answered without turning around.

"I'm only thinking of your best interests."

"I know. You tell me every time." With that Cliff made his way upstairs and collapsed on his bed.

Why was it people his age were punished for solving their problems with aggression? When an adult was wronged, what did they do? Was their first resort to talk things out peaceably with their antagonist? No, they broke out their legal guns, called the police, or unleashed the army on whatever country whose fanatics were currently too loud to tune out. They went out for blood, or cash or retribution or an imagined sense of security, and never felt the slightest twinge of guilt for it.

This Vayon guy was even worse than most adults in Cliff's life. He tried to kill people he was courting for membership, for crying out loud. If indeed that's what he wanted.

Cliff popped the water bottle and chugged half of it in one go. Maybe if he was as bad as his father thought he'd be hitting something harder than water, but right now he just wanted to close his eyes and figure out who needed a pounding in the morning.

So he did.

* * *

Caitlin pulled the blinds shut and sat down in front of her desk. Heavily. Cliff had stomped right past her door and slammed his own after being downstairs a while. He'd probably run into one or other of their parents while he'd been down there, and she knew that was never fun for him when it was late and they'd had a few drinks.

She let out a long, pent-up sigh. What were they doing? They were just kids, fighting monsters and armored lunatics with super-powers. It was true, their own abilities were nothing to scoff at amplified by the rings Bohdi brought with him, but still…they weren't commandos or soldiers. Most of them didn't even have a high school diploma yet!

Caitlin rose to the shelf where she kept her DVD's and absently flicked through the selection looking for something she felt like watching, found her copy of Ghostbusters and popped it into the player. She considered a bit of journaling, just to get the day's events out of her head to some extent, but Caitlin hadn't done that seriously since she'd learned to drive, and she couldn't stop thinking about things she wouldn't write down even if she didn't think anyone was likely to read it.

A good fifth of Cape Lombard was in ruins. They'd saved the city from worse, and she was glad of that, but really, they were grappling with opponents who had the power of natural disasters.

Why? Thebes had told them only a force with Starlight backing their actions stood a chance against enemies like Proxordo. Starlight wasn't something everyone had, just waiting to be brought to the surface, Thebes had explained. Something very specific had to be present in one's genes before it could be tapped.

Why had Caitlin done it, anyway? Why had she agreed to be a Stellarman?

Cliff was strong, there was no denying that, and what he'd taught himself about their powers made him even more so. But he'd gotten used to that feeling. He'd been stubborn before he ever raised a fist against a bully, but then he won a string of fights, and then his Starlight surfaced, and Cliff was already completely in the grip of that phase where teens are sure they've got everything all figured out when Thebes approached them…

And so he never, ever stopped and thought about what he was getting into when a call to battle came to him. He'd surely get himself killed against some "paranormal threat" or other Thebes had recruited him to fight, unless someone was around to rein him in.

And the only person he ever listened to with any consistency was his sister.

And, like it or not, that was her.

So she'd said yes, just to keep an eye on Cliff. Even if it meant wearing the pink suit.

But was that really true? It had been back before they'd learned about Proxordo, when her biggest problems were trying to keep Cliff out of trouble and which date offers to accept. The offers hadn't stopped coming, but Caitlin couldn't think of a single time since they'd met Proxordo she'd been able to think about just enjoying the night instead of worrying about the next time Cliff would take some crazy risk because he thought he could handle anything.

That dumb kid.

That dumb, dumb kid.

* * *

It was dark when Aki turned onto her street. It hadn't quite been when the SDA dropped her off, but she hadn't been kidding when she said she was in no hurry to get home.

The street was empty. No cars, no kids defying curfew (at least, no other ones), no cats scurrying out for the evening prowl. Most of the light leaking into the street came from upstairs windows, as was the case with the tiny Yamashita household.

Aki was making her way toward the back as she normally did but was stopped by the faint blue flicker of a TV. She was about to look for another way in but peered through a window and caught a glimpse of a baseball game.

It wasn't her parents waiting up for her, then.

The hinges of the back door didn't creak in the slightest. That used to be how their parents used to tell when they were sneaking out or returning from violating house rules, but that was before Aki had learned where to buy WD-40. There had been harsh words and pointed fingers the morning her father noticed how quiet the door was all of a sudden, but she wasn't the only free spirit in that house, and he knew it.

Aki took off her shoes and sauntered into the kitchen. She was digging through the refrigerator for something to eat when a pudgy boy with glasses and a well-worn Lombard Lampreys t-shirt walked in from the dining room. "Where'd you go?" he asked with the air of someone who didn't really care if he got an answer or not.

"If I'm not gonna tell the parents I'm not gonna tell you, Mamoru," she said and retrieved a bowl of potato soup, the most edible thing she could see, from the bottom shelf. Into the microwave it went and in seconds the nuke box was humming. "They tell you to stay up and wait for me, kid?" "No, the game was on," Mamoru protested. After a second Aki realized he was waiting for her to move out of the way, which she did and her brother immediately flung open the freezer and started rooting through it for a fresh batch of munchies. He pulled out a bag of pizza rolls and looked at the microwave anxiously as the timer continued to tick down.

Aki shook her head, removed her steaming bowl of soup from the microwave and went upstairs. The only light that was on was in the room the youngest two shared, and she could just make out the sounds of that new videogame they'd just managed to scrimp up enough to buy. Lights were off in the other rooms, including her parents', which she took to be a good sign as she nipped into her own bedroom and turned on the beside lamp.

A groan came from the far side of the room and Aki tensed, but it was only Yuri, just turned ten the week before, asleep in her own bed. Aki smiled. Cute little Yuri, the one person in the house not determined to give her a hard time.

As quietly as she could, Aki took off her school uniform, carefully hung up the blazer and blouse, tucked the skirt into its usual drawer and put on a t-shirt and shorts. She wondered about seeing what was on TV but then remembered Mamoru had just reloaded on snacks and wasn't going to let anything, let alone his older sister, budge him from his seat.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come home so soon after all," Aki mumbled, but then her ribs started to ache where Haikoga had bitten her. "Or maybe I should just lie down." She eased herself into bed and pulled the covers up then started feeling around underneath the bed for that trashy book her parents didn't know about…

"Aki?"

She stopped and looked up. Yuri was looking over and blinking sleep from her eyes.

"Did I wake you up, kid?"

Yuri shook her head. "I was waiting for you to come home, but I guess I fell asleep…where'd you go after school?"

"My cooking class."

"Nuh-uh."

Aki smiled. "Okay, okay. I went to see wrestling."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Sure I did. I even got into a fight with this guy when he tried to take my seat. See?" Aki raised her shirt just enough to show the red marks on her stomach.

Yuri giggled. "You're crazy."

Aki gulped a spoonful of soup. "Ingenious," she corrected with a smile.

"Dad says you have to take us shopping for birthday presents tomorrow."

"Dad says I have to get a rich boy to marry me," Aki replied.

"He does not."

"Not when anyone else is around," Aki sighed. "Look Yuri, I'm sorry, but I'm busy tomorrow." "Why? Do you have a date or something?"

Aki weighed the question. What exactly was Thebes planning on putting them through when they showed up? She almost never told them what to expect when she called a meeting. Aki had always thought that was because they were less likely to show up if they knew what she had in mind. Whatever it was, though, it was usually better than being at home, being raked over the coals for not living up to her family's designs for her.

Ah, her family. God bless people like her parents who worked themselves 'til they dropped supporting their loved ones, but why was she some kind of criminal for not thinking about marriage at her age? Not necessarily to a rich boy, but someone smart and going places. In other words, someone to take her off their hands. The nagging probes into how many cute boys she knew, when could she meet the new neighbors' son, the forcing her to look in the window every time they passed a bridal shop to see if there was anything she liked…those had only stopped when she started making a point to come home after her parents were asleep.

Aki loved her parents, but she hadn't even had a steady boyfriend since the summer before, and she was supposed to think about getting married? Maybe she wasn't as quiet or docile as her parents had hoped, but she liked to think she was a good daughter, helping the other kids with their homework and spending all weekend escorting them around town to a lesson here or an activity there. It was just that the rest of her life was a long time. Didn't they realize what they were asking her to do?

Then again…her mouth curled into a victorious smile.

"Yuri, let's go to bed, huh? We have to get up early if I'm gonna take you guys shopping and still make my appointment in the afternoon, ok?"

Yuri beamed. "Okay!" She immediately leaned back, pulled the covers over herself and closed her eyes. Aki finished off her soup, placed the bowl aside then clicked off the light before settling in herself.

If she had him pegged right, tomorrow would present an interesting opportunity…

* * *

Daniel's watch said 3:37 p.m. when the doors of Sol Dome's briefing room slid shut behind them. If he was superstitious, and he wasn't sure he wasn't anymore, he would've been sure someone was telling him something.

Commander Thebes was sitting behind the podium and Bohdi was absently tapping his fingers together in the stands. Both looked up as the four others entered the room.

"You're here early," Thebes observed.

"Thank teacher's pet here for that," Cliff mumbled, indicating Daniel with a jerk of his thumb.

"Interesting," Bohdi smiled.

"If you'll take your seats, we can begin," Thebes instructed, and they did. Daniel couldn't help noticing Aki taking the seat right next to his.

"Stellarman," she began. "As I said before, yesterday was a promising start. However, it was just that, a start. I'm sure Proxordo is aware of just how much of a threat you represent to them, and we can only expect things to get tougher as a result."

"I'm not going anywhere until we punch the pyscho's face in," Cliff said.

"If you weren't gonna stay you wouldn't have come, kid," Aki pointed out.

"As I was saying," Thebes interrupted, "we're going to need to intensify training starting right now to be ready for whatever Proxordo has in store. In honor of the team's completion, however, I wish to present you five with these." She pulled a pair of briefcases from behind the podium and flipped them open. Within were five folded leather jackets; red, black, blue, yellow and pink, and five golden badges with "SDA" inscribed on them.

"The five of you have been made official field agents of the Solar Defense Alliance as of today, and you'll have the authority to enter any areas restricted by law enforcement and government intelligence agencies. Don't abuse this responsibility, Stellarman, and keep your identities secret unless it's a matter of life and death. If you disobey, I'll hear about it. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," Caitlin answered.

"Then come and get your new toys, kids."

The five stood up and made their way down to the podium and each slipped on their jacket and tucked a badge into a wallet or pocket. Cliff flexed his arms as if testing the fit, and smiled at the shade.

"Nice jacket, Cliff. Is that mustard or banana?" Aki teased. Cliff just grunted.

Thebes cleared her throat. "Stellarman, there's one more announcement."

"And what's that, Commander?" Daniel asked.

"Bohdi recently informed me of his decision to step down as field commander of Stellarman," she replied. "He named a replacement before leaving his post, however, and I would like to announce who he chose."

The fourth human Stellarmen exchanged glances with each other. A leader? One them? Who could he have possibly picked?

Thebes cleared her throat to regain their attention then continued. "Daniel Reese, you've been nominated as the probationary leader of Stellarman. I know you're the newest member of the team, but based on Bohdi's accounts of how you handled yourself during your two outings with the team so far, I'm ready to give you a chance. Do you accept?"

"What??" Cliff spluttered.

"Oh be quiet Cliff," Caitlin silenced him. Aki just smiled and nodded.

"I don't know what to say, Commander," Daniel replied. "But if you and Bohdi think it's a good idea, I guess I'll give it a shot."

"Great!" Thebes clapped her hands once. "Everyone report to the gym for sparring practice immediately. We've got a long road ahead of us, team."

* * *

Dione gazed out the window, marveling at the spectacle of the sun disappearing over a jagged line of mountain peaks. Which mountains, she wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. They were part of the Earth, and that was what Proxordo strove to protect.

The door hissed open, and in floated Amro Vayon. "Well, Dione, is our 'army' ready to march?" he asked.

"Merely awaiting your gift of the Fire, sir…" she replied, but Vayon waved her off.

"Leave the titles behind, Dione. Today is when Proxordo's mission truly begins, and we will all stand together."

Dione smiled and indicated a line of humanoid figures with a wave of her arm. Vayon smiled, raised his staff high, and struck it against the floor with an echoing clang. From the tip arced fiery plumes of pure energy that streaked out and struck each figure in the chest. They shook and whirred, and after a minute yellow eyes lit up in the face of each.

"Soldiers of Proxordo, this is the dawn of a new era! We will take back this world from the corruptive influence of the shortsighted! And we'll do it with the help of five very special youths…Be proud, you mechanized menaces! You'll be the ones to show the inheritors of the future which side is worth fighting for!"

Dione smiled, and a menacing giggle issued up from the shadow she cast across the floor. As one, the row of mechanical monsters raised their arms and saluted Vayon. And Vayon…Vayon smiled.


	6. Phase 6: Remnants

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 6: Remnants

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

The sun was starting to sink over the horizon, but the day was still in full swing inside Sol Dome. Workers passing the sealed training rooms on the western extreme of the base could feel a charge in the air. If they'd had clearance to enter, they'd have been blown flat on their backs the instant the door opened.

Bohdi's face tightened as he concentrated even harder and the stream of black Starlight pouring from his clasped hands intensified. He and his four teammates sat in a circle, each projecting a beam of Starlight from their hands into a point in the center. Bohdi's beam pressed forward, coloring the point where the beams contacted black and pushing the others' beams backward toward the sources. Caitlin gasped but pushed harder and inch by inch her pink beam started to push his back. The others poured on more of their own power, turning the point of contact white.

"Gotcha now, man!" Cliff crowed. It was then a blue beam creeping into the yellow one he emitted. Next to Bohdi, Aki grinning at him. "Why you--"

Cliff clenched his teeth and his energy surged forward, turning the contact point a blinding yellow. It forced the beams of the other four back, but Daniel shot him a harsh look. "Everyone, drop the energy!" he commanded.

They did, even Cliff, the streams of Starlight fading away. Cliff took in ragged breaths but smirked victoriously. "Guess I win."

"Maybe," Daniel amended. "If all your enemies were front of you."

Cliff's face immediately went sour. "What the--hell are you--talkin' about? I pushed back--everyone else's--power. That was point. I win."

"The point was to exercise our Starlight and learn to use more without straining ourselves. Look at you. You let yourself be goaded into putting everything into one shot, you're exhausted. If you'd tried that in a fight, you'd be helpless now. And what if it didn't stop them, or they brought friends?"

"Listen to this guy! Thebes didn't even put you in charge a day ago!" Cliff snapped.

"But she did put him in charge, Cliff," Bohdi reminded him.

"What makes…gah!" Cliff threw up his hands. "Are we done, _boss?_" he asked, spitting out the last word.

"Yeah, that's enough for today," Daniel replied. "Enjoy the rest of the weekend, guys."

Cliff stalked out without another word. As soon as the door was out of sight he reached down and switched his Stellphone, the small communication device each of them carried. He wanted to blow off some steam before going home, and didn't want to deal with the others yet. A minute later he was outside the door to the hangar. Cliff looked over his shoulder, and once he was sure he was alone, tapped in his entry code and slipped inside.

Dominating the enormous room were, of course, the five Ptolemic Machines. A few technicians were welding a new piece of armor plating onto Wolf, but they paid Cliff no mind. That was just fine with him. Cliff's attention was on a line of sleek color-coded motorcycles parked off to one side, the Chargers. The one second from the left was colored a dark yellow.

His.

Cliff was just walking it out of the line when he realized he wasn't alone. He looked over one shoulder and spotted Bohdi leaning against the wall. "The Chargers are SDA property, you know," he said without inflection.

"Damn it, not you now!" Cliff snarled, but Bohdi surprised him with a thin smile.

"I didn't say I'm stopping you. Why don't we go for a ride?"

Cliff arched an eyebrow.

A lizard paused in its trek across the deserted stretch of asphalt, then hurried back the way it had come just before two gold and black streaks zoomed past.

Cliff, or StellarYellow as he guessed he should be thinking of himself, had to admit getting out on the Charger again was helping him cool off. He enjoyed having the chance to vent his frustrations without getting arrested as StellarYellow, but to him it was the souped-up motorcycles and giant robots that really made him feel like he had a place on the team.

After a minute he asked something that had been on his mind all afternoon. "Bohdi, why'd you do it?"

"You mean make Daniel leader?" Cliff stared at his back. He'd expected to have to explain that one. Bohdi, or StellarBlack, hefted a light sigh. "Look, Cliff, I just…what's that noise?"

"What noi--" Cliff started to answer just before the answer whizzed around a bend. They barely had time to register it was there before it screamed through the space between them, knocking them both aside, but as it sped behind some trees Cliff could just see that whatever it was, it was _running_. On foot. What could be so fast?

Immediately Cliff had recovered and gunned the engine. He shot down the road and spotted a dot in the distance, but Cliff urged more speed from his bike and within seconds could make out the figure of a man in blue and black armor. He had a golden V mounted on the front of his helmet, and a smaller but sharper-looking V mounted on each wrist.

"Great, another monster to bust up."

"First you have to catch me, Stellarman!" he jeered. "And nobody can catch Prox Velo!"

"Charger Flash!" Dual lasers fired from the bike's fairing but just before they hit Prox Velo disappeared into thin air then reappeared on the other side of the road. Cliff swerved to the other lane and started to line up another shot, but the monster jumped high into the air, turned and aimed one fist at Cliff. "Velorang!" he called and the V mounted on that wrist shot off toward Cliff then spun end over end through the air. A boomerang.

"Switch Magnum, Sword Mode!" Cliff said as he drew his weapon. He swung it to deflect the incoming attack, but the boomerang jarred it from his hand before circling back and reattaching to the arm of its owner. Prox Velo landed and shot Cliff a sneer, then he was off and running again. Straight at Cliff.

He ducked the monster's arm in the nick of time then whipped his bike around in time to see Prox Velo disappearing into the trees along a side road. He tore after the monster and within minutes the trees overhead thinned and the ragged skyline of Cape Lombard came into view. A dozen cars manned by a dozen surprised-looking drivers were scattered on the fringes of the road, and a trail of smoking footprints down the center of the asphalt told Cliff what had come through. Cliff was inside the city in another minute, but once he was between the buildings, a scene of chaos slowed his bike to a halt.

A line of police cars had formed across the street and crouched behind them was a group of uniformed officers that was shooting futilely at a black and blue streak that zipped across the street every few seconds giving off jeering laughter each time. Cliff heard a shout of "Velorang!" and two of the metal boomerangs shot from the streak, one cutting off the roof of one of the police cars and nearly an officer's head. The other arced upward, shearing off the cornice of one building and sending a shower of concrete onto a mother trying to drag two terrified children to the relative safety of the indoors.

"Coming through!" Cliff bellowed and without waiting for anyone to respond he revved the engine and hit a button on the handlebars. Small rockets on the rear wheel ignited and the Charger jumped off over the line of police cars and soared toward the plummeting masonry. "Grav-Hammer!" Cliff called and was answered with the heavy golden warhammer appearing in one hand. With all his might he swung it at the debris and smashed it to dust.

The Charger's wheels had barely touched the ground again before Cliff saw the streak he was sure was Prox Velo take off down another street. Cliff swerved after him, carefully lined up, then fired another "Charger Flash!" Again the dual beams fired. Again Prox Velo disappeared from the ground and reappeared in midair. This time, Cliff popped a wheelie and fired again. The beams engulfed Prox Velo in a cloud of blue flame and he crashed heavily to the ground.

As the crackling of laserfire faded Cliff heard another noise drawing closer. A minute later the Advancer, Stellarman's hovering car, cruised out from behind a building and Bohdi rolled up on his Charger from behind Cliff a second afterward. The others piled out of the Advancer, already garbed in their Stellarman uniforms.

Aki shook her blue helmet from side to side. Daniel ran a red glove along the back of his helmet. He prodded the fallen monster with the tip of his sword, but something inside Prox Velo sputtering electrically was the only response. "Nice job, Cliff," Daniel said with what sounded even to StellarYellow's ears a little like sincerity.

"Whatever," Cliff replied with a shake of his head. "Let's just bust him up and go home."

Without warning Prox Velo sputtered again then jumped to his feet. The monster flexed his arms with a wicked grin, bolts of jagged energy crackling all over his body. Suddenly he ran forward and stopped just short of where Stellarman stood, the rush of air blowing them back into a brick wall. Bohdi was the first one up.

"Stellash!" He cracked his black whip as soon as it appeared but Prox Velo smirked and vanished to appear right behind the black-clad alien.

"Try again, I'm over here!" Again he vanished and next thing they knew he stood beside Caitlin. "Too slow!" Caitlin aimed a kick at the monster but he streaked away, rocketed into the air and spun into a miniature tornado. "Velo Storm!" he shouted at the top of his mechanical lungs, shooting his boomerangs in all directions.

"Head for cover!" Daniel cried and shoved Aki out of the way of a boomerang just in time to catch it on his own shoulder. He yelped in pain then thrust out his fist. "Clash Knuckle!" A crimson gauntlet formed around his hand and he started batting the projectiles away.

Cliff hefted his Grav-Hammer onto one shoulder and ran over to where Caitlin was ducking behind a car that was sliced in half even as he joined her.

"You okay?"

A boomerang grazed the top of her helmet. "I'll distract him, then you catch him off-guard. Arc Blader!" She stood, blocking one boomerang with the star-shaped weapon, then gripped it by one point and threw it with all her might toward Prox Velo. It screeched as it collided with the monster and knocked him from his wild spin. Cliff immediately launched himself at the monster and shoulder-checked him in midair. He raised his hammer, but hesitated for just a second when he noticed Prox Velo grinning triumphantly.

"Let me show you my _true_ power! Velo Shift!" He grabbed Cliff by the shoulders of his yellow suit, and before Cliff could resist a paralyzing vibration spread through his body. The world around them churned and flowed. Suddenly Bohdi's whip cracked and wrapped around Prox Velo's neck, then they were gone.

"Where…where did they go?" Caitlin managed to splutter out. Suddenly she screamed and contorted in pain. Daniel and Aki looked over at her just in time to see a luminous green serpent with enormous fangs writhing through the air toward them. Before they could even react it sank its fangs into Daniel's arm

"Clash Knuckle!" His heavy gauntlet materialized at once and he smashed it into the serpent's head, shattering it into fragments of green light. "Who's there??" Daniel demanded. A knot formed in his stomach as he feared he already knew the answer. Caitlin raised her Arc Blader defensively.

"Forgotten me already, have you?" a voice asked. "Or perhaps you were just hoping you'd seen the last of the serpent." From out of an alleyway stepped a figure swathed in black armor with ornate golden snakes on his boots, shoulders and gauntlets. In one hand he carried a broadsword almost as tall as any of the three.

"Kamandetes…"

The knight bowed in acknowledgement, then he charged and Daniel charged right back. He rammed the Clash Knuckle against Kamandetes' chest, but Kamandetes was unfazed and slashed his sword against Daniel's injured arm. Daniel howled in pain and was knocked on his back by another swing from the sword. Caitlin and Aki jumped at him from both sides and each aimed a boot at his helmet, but he ducked, rolled forward and swatted them both into a brick wall with one slash of his sword.

They could see a glimmer of a smile behind Kamandetes's visor before he advanced, blade held high…

Cliff didn't want to open his eyes. If he did, he was sure he'd be in some weird place surrounded by weirdoes who'd stepped right out of one of the stupider _Star Trek_ episodes_._ Cliff was just fine with cracking their heads, but he wanted to do it where he had the home court advantage.

"Cliff? Cliff! Wake up!"

"Bohdi? Is that you?" Cliff reluctantly looked up to see it was indeed Bohdi leaning over him. Not StellarBlack. A glance told him whatever the monster had done had returned him to normal too. "Where are we?"

"I don't know." Bohdi pulled him to his feet. "I don't think we'll like the answer when we find out, though."

* * *

They were in an abandoned concrete building, and the fact that the far wall was missing explained why. Through the opening they could see they were two floors up, looking out onto a tiled courtyard dominated by a dry fountain. Cliff was sure he heard a whooshing noise from the ground, but saw nothing. But then, what if they were someplace where Prox Velo was even faster? So fast he couldn't be seen at all?

"Do our rings work?" Cliff asked, but a momentary inspection told him otherwise. The yellow stone in his ring had gone out.

"I can still feel my Starlight," Bohdi said. "It's weak, though. A lot weaker than when we were still fighting."

"Great," Cliff grunted. "Now I'll only be able to smash that guy half as much as I was gonna."

Cliff walked to the ledge overlooking the courtyard. It was still empty, but the wind picked up eerily. He felt an urge to shiver but fought it down and led the way out of the building and down a flight of stairs that felt like they were about to collapse with every step. They walked out onto an empty street, and it was then they realized just far had they were from Cape Lombard.

The buildings on either side of them were devastated, most with nothing but a few jagged stumps of walls still standing. What signs still clung to their moorings were written in symbols that looked Cyrillic to Cliff, but he wasn't sure. More telling was a weird wedge-shaped vehicle had crashed through a nearby ball, and in the driver's seat was the skeleton of a creature with a long, sloping head and four eyeholes.

"Bohdi…where are we?"

"I've no idea, Cliff…but it brings back some unpleasant memories."

"You are standing on a world that was called Makkas," said an all-too-familiar voice. Indeed, Prox Velo stepped out of a doorway nearby and regarded them with a smirk.

"Was?" Bohdi asked. "What happened here?"

"This was one of the first worlds visited by Master Vayon when he was first touched by the Fire," Prox Velo explained. "He visited this world looking for supporters, but the people of the nation he first contacted had heard wild stories of another blessed by the Fire. They immediately turned their military upon Master Vayon, and before you are the results of this closed-mindedness."

Cliff took a step toward Prox Velo, but Bohdi clapped a giant hand on his shoulder. "And what about the rest of this world?" Bohdi asked.

"Word spread to the other nations of Makkas, and every soldier and war machine they could find was turned against him. Between his own power and the first of the Truthcraft, all the Makkans who attempted to threaten him were wiped out.

"Make no mistake, Stellarman. Earth could be next, if it attempts to meet Master Vayon's message the way Makkas did."

Bohdi didn't seem to hear his last words. He looked off into the distance. "Makkas heard of it too…"

Cliff shook him by the shoulders. "Bohdi? You okay, man?"

"I'm fine Cliff," he said, but there was a dazed look in his tiny eyes for a second.

"You should be honored, Stellarman," Prox Velo persisted. "The master's allowing you the chance to stand at his side despite continuing to resist him."

"Gah!" Cliff growled. "Everybody in that stupid cult sounds the same!"

"Your master's cut off from the people," Bohdi said. "And they're the world he's trying to save. How does he think he can serve their interests?"

"I see," Prox Velo said simply. Then he yelled, "Velorangs!" The weapons affixed to his wrists shot off. One grazed the side of Bohdi's head and Cliff dodged the other just in time to avoid losing an arm.

"Run!" Bohdi cried unnecessarily.

"Where do you think you can run from _me_?" Prox Velo scoffed.

Cliff raised his fists but Bohdi grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him into the space between two buildings. Prox Velo literally zoomed after them, but saw neither of the teens as he zigzagged through alleys. A minute after he passed a building that still had its second storey Cliff peered out from behind an empty window frame.

"He's gone," Cliff reported. "How'd you know he wouldn't see us jumping up here?"

Bohdi rubbed his forehead before he answered. "Looking up isn't a natural compulsion for most things unless there's a reason. He probably figures he's so fast he'll catch us no matter what we try to do."

Cliff grinned. "Nice one."

"Yeah…just be glad we still had enough Starlight to make the jump…" Bohdi replied distantly.

"Bohdi, what's wrong, man?" Cliff asked. "You've been acting different ever since that new kid showed up."

"Have I?" Bohdi asked. "I guess I have, yes. I saw potential in him, as you probably realized by now."

"Yeah, and I still want to know what made you pick him to be leader. We were doing great with you in charge, man. Why'd you do it?"

Bohdi sighed again. "Cliff, we were _not_ doing great with me in charge. Didn't you see how I almost lost back in the ship, when we were recovering the Ptolemic Machines? The only reason I was in charge in the first place was Thebes figured since I was the most 'experienced' I should be the leader. She never let me question her decision because I didn't have anybody I thought could do the job before. What about you, Cliff? Would you be leader, if we asked?"

"Hell no. I'm too smart for the job," Cliff replied. "But none of us ever had a problem following orders from you, man. You're cool, and you're tough. There's not a lot of people I'd say that about."

"Thanks, but I'm not taking it back. Most of the reason I came to Earth was to start over on my terms, and that didn't happen until I convinced Thebes to let Daniel take over."

"What are you talking about, man?"

Bohdi looked off into the distance. "I suppose I haven't told anyone about that, have I? Have I ever told you about where I'm from, Cliff?"

Cliff nodded. "Yeah. A planet called Chahi, I think. Lots of wild animals, no big cities."

"That's right," Bohdi nodded. "It sucked, _sucked_, living there. Even worse, everyone was expected to drop everything when a barast, or something even worse we didn't have a name for, would show up and start terrorizing the area. My brothers would always try to be the one to track the thing down and finish it off by themselves. So they could tell everyone they solved the crisis. What's even worse is the way everyone would eat it up when they got back with the animal's head.

"But I never got that. When I dragged a barast's head back into the village, nobody came out to ask how I did it. Can you guess why, Cliff?"

"Your Starlight?" Cliff hazarded.

"Yes, because I had special powers. Even when I didn't use them and ten people saw me kill the thing, nobody ever praised my conquest. It got to me, all those eyes on me, not caring how I risked my life like everyone else. Since then…every time everyone's looking at me or waiting on me to make a decision for them, I see everyone from Chahi staring at me and I just _choke._

"When…when some of the machinery that was still working detected someone unleashed the Fire of Truth on Earth, they asked for a volunteer to come and warn you. I came because I wanted to be someplace where my accomplishments mattered to people. I almost think they were glad to get rid of me."

Neither of them said anything for a while. Finally Cliff broke the silence. "Man…I had no idea."

"Forget it. How are you on Starlight?"

Cliff checked his ring. The jewel glowed again, but only faintly. "Still pretty low."

"Then a fight with Prox Velo's out of the question," Bohdi mused. "Why don't you find a good vantage point and keep a lookout for him? I'll see if I can come up with a few surprises for when he finds us."

"Sure, man," Cliff said and descended the stairs to the street as quietly as he could. Bohdi rose and paced the floor in silent thought, then saw something from the corner of one eye that made him dart to the window.

He couldn't read the scorched sign of the building across the street from his hiding place, but a nasty-looking contraption with two barbed metal jaws hanging in the window looked like just the kind of thing desperate hunters used to catch barasts…

* * *

Metal rang against metal in the streets of Cape Lombard. Daniel deflected a slash from Kamandetes's sword with the Clash Knuckle then rammed the crimson gauntlet into the knight's chest plate. There was a resounding echo, but Kamandetes was unfazed. The knight grabbed him by the neck and grinned.

"What happened to your strategies?" he laughed.

Just then dual blades raked down Kamandetes's back, sending sparks shooting up, and he just had time to see a blue blur dart out of the way before Caitlin's Arc Blader flew out and slashed its sharpened edges across his back before returning to her hand. Daniel raised the Clash Knuckle and hammered it against the surprised knight's arm until his grip weakened and Daniel yanked himself free.

"Keep it up! Get his sword away!" Daniel yelled. With all of his might he reached out and grabbed the knight's sword. Caitlin tossed the Arc Blader which swooped around, caught the blade between two of its points and wrenched the weapon from Kamandetes's hand. Aki dashed past, hitting the back of one armored leg with her double swords. Kamandetes fell to one knee with a gasp of pain. The three Stellarmen surrounded him.

"Give it up," Daniel said darkly. Kamandetes only chortled deep in his throat.

"Young idiots…the Fire of Truth fills my entire being with its might! VIPER'S DEN!" Kamandetes drove his fist into the ground. The ground cracked in a ring around him, then before Stellarman had any chance to react writhing snakes sprang from the ring of cracked asphalt. They lashed out, three sinking their fangs into Aki's leg. Two cries of pain told her Caitlin and Daniel were suffering similar fates. Kamandetes grinned as the snakes retreated into the ground and he retrieved his sword.

"A fine weapon can add a lot to a powerful warrior…but the Truth is the most powerful weapon of all!"

* * *

A blue and black blur sped through the deserted streets of the Makkan city, scaring what vermin still lived back into their holes as he passed. His sensors scanned every side street, every alley as he raced along. Nothing registered bigger than a rat registered. How had they slipped by him? He'd been designed for pure speed. He could outrun anything on the ground, even a Stellarman.

Sudddenly…yes! There was a blip! He rounded the corner and could just make out a humanoid figure in the distance. The pale-skinned alien it was, a dot on the edge of his vision that with every passing millisecond grew larger and larger. Bohdi spotted Prox Velo and dashed desperately into the space between two buildings. Prox Velo grinned and zoomed into after him.

--and straight into a heavy metal net strung across the alleyway. He gasped in surprise and was dragged down by the weight of the net. Prox Velo glared up at Bohdi who stood over him with smirk on his thin lips.

"I've got an answer for you, monster," he said. "I'm not signing up for your cult."

"Ha!" Prox Velo scoffed. "You still see so little." He quivered suddenly, the razor-sharp edges of the crest on his helmet slicing through the strands of the net. In another second he streaked out and into the air where he pointed a fist at Bohdi's chest.

"And you think so slowly," Bohdi whispered.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Cliff exploded from the remnants of a second storey window as he transformed into StellarYellow once again. As he flew toward the surprise Prox Velo, Bohdi had a surprise of his own as for a moment he was sure he saw a ghostly image of a transparent eagle around his friend. Then it was gone, and Cliff grabbed the monster by the arms and slammed him against the wall of the building on the other side of the alley. Sparks flew off Prox Velo's back as he skidded down the concrete and battered at Cliff's arms and torso with blindingly-fast chops from both sides.

Cliff held on for all he was worth, but his Starlight was weak and even as Bohdi watched his fingers slipped and scrabbled to hold onto the monster's arms. There was no time to lose. "Cosmic Evolution!" The dark strands of his uniform wove themselves around Bohdi, but it seemed to take forever as he watched Prox Velo batter Cliff until he lost his grip with one hand. There was the familiar surge confirming his change, weaker than normal but he had no time to dwell on it. StellarBlack lunged at the monster and grabbed an arm.

"Now! Give it everything you've got!" he ordered.

"You got it!" Cliff replied. Both poured their waning Starlight into Prox Velo's body causing the monster to shriek in agony. He shook violently back and forth so much that he became a blur and Bohdi could feel their energies mingling with Prox Velo's intense speed--they were about to shift again.

This time, he was ready. Bohdi reached out with his own energies and seized the pull taking them somewhere else and filled his mind with images of Cape Lombard. The intersection where they'd been before being taken to Makkas, the ragged skyline after the battle with Prox Tone…

With his Starlight dwindling to barely enough to hold his altered form, Bohdi saw Makkas blurring until it was replaced with a white void. He could only hope this time it was where he wanted to go…

* * *

Kamandetes hit Daniel with his most powerful slash. He collided with a wall, knocking the Clash Knuckle from his arm. "Paradise Breaker!" Kamandetes bellowed. Again a glittering snake formed on his sword then reared and struck. Daniel feebly drew his own sword and stabbed at the snake's head but it wove around the weapon and dragged its fangs along his back. He groaned in pain and slumped forward.

The knight turned to Aki. Kamandetes's sword sent her spinning into the air. Caitlin's Arc Blader whistled toward his head but his sword became a blur that batted the weapon aside.

"There will be no more mercy, Stellarman!" Kamandetes declared. "You see what you face, join us or suffer along with the rest!"

"What kind of conversions is your boss hoping to get with tactics like these?" Daniel croaked. "Attacks and fear? He must be some new kind of benign savior I never heard about!"

"Typical words from someone enslaved by their illusions! Proxordo doesn't need people like you!" Kamandetes snarled and brought his sword down with all his might. Daniel reached up and caught the massive blade between his palms. His wounded arm burned and the blade inched closer and closer to his neck. Kamandetes kicked him in the stomach and was bringing back his foot to kick Daniel again when, for the briefest of moments, Kamandetes saw what looked like the face of a wolf imposed over Daniel's crimson helmet. Daniel literally growled and shoved Kamandetes, sword and all, a good six steps backward. The knight was about to rush him, but then it happened.

There was a sound like a giant bubble popping, then a glowing hole formed in midair down the street. From it tumbled three people, one covered in black, one in yellow, and the other gleaming like metal.

"Cliff!" Caitlin exclaimed.

"Prox Velo!" Kamandetes said. "On your feet, soldier! Show them what Proxordo's warriors are made of!"

Prox Velo shook himself free of Cliff and Bohdi, but rather than acknowledge the order his body twitched and jerked. Suddenly he zoomed forward and punched Daniel in the face but grazed Kamandetes's chest plate in the process. Both were knocked sprawling.

"What's the matter with you?!" Kamandetes yelled.

"Keep frustration clear! Indiscipline all remains!" the monster jabbered. "Ve-velo Storm!" He launched himself into the air, firing Velorangs in all directions. Stellarman scattered for cover behind buildings and cars. Boomerangs rained down and lodged in whatever surface was the first to get in their way. Kamandetes batted away several with his sword before he growled in frustration and disappeared in a pillar of flame.

"What happened to him?" Cliff demanded to Bohdi over the clatter of boomerangs impaling themselves in the car the two were crouching behind.

"The two of us seizing control of his teleportation must've shaken something loose in his brain."

"I'll shake a lot more than his brain before I'm done with him," Cliff said and started to stand but Bohdi clapped a hand on his shoulder and pressed Cliff back into his crouch.

"No, this one's mine. Stellash!" Bohdi stood up and effortlessly coiled his whip around a flying boomerang, spun in place so the boomerang was aimed up at Prox Velo and with a flick of his wrist unwrapped the whip from around it. The boomerang spun end over end into Prox Velo's chest, smacking him out of the air.

In a heartbeat he was back up and became a black and blue blur. He sped past Bohdi and Cliff and buffeted them with punches. "Stigma through idiot hearing!" He dashed away toward to where Daniel and Aki had taken cover behind the edge of a building and cocked back a fist when Aki reached out and grabbed his arm before it could hit. She delivered a vicious spinning kick to his midsection. Bolts of electricity jumped from joint to joint and his body spasmed twice as violently.

"Now!" Daniel commanded. "Finish him off!" Stellarman gathered around him, Bohdi and Caitlin on either side, Cliff and Aki crouched in front. The five drew their guns and trained them on Prox Velo.

"Trigger Fury!" they all shouted as one then aimed and fired. Their beams twisted together into a five-pointed star that rammed into Prox Velo. His body twitched one more time, then fell and exploded into a hundred pieces.

"Alright!" Cliff yelled and pumped his arm in victory.

"Nice going," Daniel said simply.

* * *

Later back at Sol Dome, Daniel was inspecting the barren office Commander Thebes had set aside for Stellarman's field commander. The only furnishings were a chrome-colored desk with a computer pushed against one wall and an empty bookcase against the other. Two chairs were situated in front of the desk, for giving performance reviews or something, he guessed. He was wondering if anyone would care if he hung up some Shattered Manacles posters when someone knocked.

"Come in!"

They did. The door retreated into the wall and Bohdi stepped in. "I'm here for the debriefing," he explained.

"What about Cliff? I thought both of you were coming to tell me this story."

Bohdi shrugged. "He said he's done enough work today. If I know him he's sure you're going to find something chew him out about and that's why he went home already. He gets enough of that at home, supposedly."

"Have a seat," Daniel indicated one of the chairs and Bohdi sat down. "So tell me, what happened to you and Cliff today?"

"Prox Velo took us to another planet. Makkas. According to him, Vayon traveled there soon after he established Proxordo, but when they didn't subscribe to his views and tried to meet him with force, he wiped them out. Whatever noble sentiments he's told us, I honestly can't believe he intends any different for this planet."

"Can't imagine why he'd tell you that unless Vayon's still got this idea we're somehow going to decide to join him."

"Me neither, Daniel. The Fire of Truth seems like a miraculous gift, but it comes only at the cost of severing your ties to whatever you calls your humanity. Anyone who won't also accept its touch is either insane or vermin. I strongly suspect the only reason Vayon's paying us any attention is we have special powers too."

"You talking from experience here, man?"

Bohdi started when he heard Daniel's question as if he only just realized how much he'd said. After a minute he bowed his head forward once. "Yes, Daniel. My people have had contact with the Fire of Truth before. It was one who'd felt it that reduced Chahi to a desert."


	7. Phase 7: Dissolution

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 7: Dissolution

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Don Fender gingerly felt along his mouth with one finger, sure he'd felt something rattle when Genny had smashed her fist there before storming out into the darkness. He'd never expected that kind of upper body strength when he asked her to take a drive with him. Don fumbled open the glove compartment of his father's new car and out of the clutter managed to find a flashlight that he flicked on.

"Genny?" he asked as opened the door and aimed the beam into the gloom. No answer. Ah well, she'd be back. They were miles from town, and she was nowhere near stubborn enough to walk that far this late at night.

He grimaced and spat blood. He got his first inkling something might be wrong when he realized he'd heard a *hissssss* when it hit the ground. A second later he gave out a screech of pain that could've been heard all the way back to Cape Lombard and jumped into his car. He pointed the flashlight at the ground to see the ground covered in a carpet of green foam. An acidic smell assaulted Don's nose.

"Trying to strongarm an innocent young girl into satisfying your physical pleasures! Naughty naughty…" a grating voice chuckled.

Don's hand was shaking but he managed to turn the flashlight outside again. What he saw almost made him drop it. The first thing he could make out was a skull covered in the thin green foam, over a humanoid gray and green body with more foam dribbling down from spouts on its shoulders. A golden P adorned its chest, whatever it was.

Suddenly the spouts chugged and splattered more foam all over the car. Immediately holes formed in the roof and windshield then grew and green foam seeped into the car.

"Then again, who's to say she was so pure herself?" the skull-faced thing said almost absently as the first droplets touched Don's skin and started to melt through his flesh. "She'll be judged soon enough, she and the rest…"

It splashed away through the carpet of foam, unmindful of Don's screams.

* * *

The book and the ancient words transcribed within its pages balanced on the crook of Caitlin's elbow, but its text was series of black blurs to her eyes. The teacher's voice unraveling their subtle meanings was a soft murmur in the distance. As unobtrusively as she could, she turned over her ring and inspected the carving of a fox on the silver band.

Her mind drifted back to the other day, after the battle with Prox Velo. Not a battle much involving her, truth be told, but she and Aki and Daniel hadn't had a quiet afternoon either.

She'd been putting back the free weights in Sol Dome's gym when Commander Thebes found her. Caitlin doubted her parents would deny her the funding if she asked to enroll in a health club, but she figured this helped her keep up a secret identity better. It mattered to her, anyway.

"Caitlin," Commander Thebes said, getting right down to business, "can I see your ring?"

"My ring?" Caitlin asked even as she held out her hand for examination. "Is something wrong?"

"No…but I need to be sure of something." Commander Thebes turned Caitlin's hand over, and for the first time the teen noticed a fox engraved on the ring that allowed her to become StellarPink.

"How did that happen?" Caitlin inquired.

"Remember when you went to bring back the Ptolemic Machines? How they were blank until you activated them for the first time, then they turned your colors?" Commander Thebes replied. "If I'm right it worked both ways. When the machines colored themselves after your part of the spectrum, they imprinted something of themselves on your Starlight."

"Like how Daniel had that wolf over him and pushed Kamandetes away, even though his arms were all chopped up."

"That's right. He and Bohdi found their animals on their rings. I'm sure Aki and Cliff have them too. I'm having Valentine ask. What you saw yesterday is probably just scratching the surface," Commander Thebes explained. "That happened out of pure instinct, think of what you five could do if you connected with the essence of your creature deliberately."

"The Ptolemic Machines can change our powers?" Caitlin asked, a bit nervously.

Commander Thebes smirked. "That's why they were created, to

strengthen warriors who have Starlight. Nobody else could've activated them in the first place."

"So do we start training with the new powers?" Caitlin asked, but the Commander just smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

"You already know how they work, Catie," was all she said.

Caitlin vented a small a sigh of irritation, but her classmates didn't seem to notice.

Immediately Caitlin had gone looking for Daniel, hoping that perhaps Thebes had told the team leader more than she'd told her. Eventually she'd found him in his office, sitting crosslegged on top of his desk with his eyes shut tight.

"Daniel?" she ventured. "What are you doing?"

"I was meditating. What's up?"

Caitlin showed him her ring. "Thebes said you and Bohdi noticed these before."

"Right, and she said we probably have new powers based on the animals of our robots."

"Probably?" Caitlin asked, taken aback. "She didn't tell you anything? Not even how to use them?"

Daniel shrugged. "Why should it be such a mystery? Your Starlight's part of you, just like your arms or legs. Think about what your animal can do, connect with it, want it to happen, and it'll probably take care of itself."

"You mean like, 'be the fox'?"

"Something like that."

Caitlin had tried after she got home, meditating and trying to feel a new facet of her powers for a good hour before she gave up and went downstairs to meet her mother's newest bosom buddy like the prodigal daughter. She'd never been all that good at being introspective, and honestly hadn't had much desire to plumb the mysteries of her Starlight, even after joining Stellarman.

In a way, she envied Daniel. He hadn't even been a part of the team, let alone its leader, for a month yet, but already he'd found a home there. He was at the base testing his powers when he could've been anywhere else, goofing off like she was sure Aki and Cliff had been. Cliff was the only one who had any problem talking to him, but that was Cliff being Cliff. The reason everyone was at ease around Daniel, and Bohdi had asked him to take over as leader was pretty simple as Caitlin saw it: nothing fazed him.

Not her. Caitlin didn't resent being StellarPink, but it wasn't something she went out of her way to do. Forget monsters, dealing with her parents, their friends and her brother kept her busy enough. Caitlin sometimes felt like the only time she was part of the team was when Cliff was looking for someone to agree with whatever tangent he was going off on at the moment. Aki tolerated Caitlin's presence, but she was always kidding and teasing. Always. It was impossible for Caitlin to feel at ease around her. Eventually, unable to get much of a rise out of Caitlin, Aki decided Cliff was more fun and started tormenting him. As for Bohdi, he was kind enough when she approached him, but he never approached the rest of them unless he had to. It didn't exactly help her to feel welcome.

A bell sounded reminding her all too clearly the weekend was over. Almost instantly half the class was already out the door. Caitlin peered at the fox on her ring again one last time then hurriedly packed up her supplies before following her classmates into the halls of St. Lucia's School for Girls.

Nothing unfamiliar greeted her eyes. Here and there were groups of other rich girls leaning against lockers, laughing and telling stories she didn't even try to make out over the din of passing period, while a few were actually replacing texts from classes they'd completed for the day with materials for what was still to come. Several girls tried to Caitlin's attention, but then she saw something she hadn't been expecting.

In a strangely empty stretch of hall, absently picking books out of her locker, was Genevieve Delicos, who'd become a friend about a month before. She long, curly brown hair, hazel eyes and a complexion most girls would've killed for. She was pretty, Caitlin supposed, but that day she was a mess. Her eyes were red and there were dark circles under them. Her hair was tangled and her school uniform rumpled.

Before she even realized what she was doing, Caitlin had made her way over. "God, Genny, you look terrible. What's wrong?"

It took her a second to realize Caitlin had said something. "Catie? I…I had a date with Don. Don Fender. Remember him?"

"Kind of."

"Well we drove out to the woods and he…tried to take it too far," Genny explained. "I hit him and left, but I when chilled out and came back, his car was gone. There was just some pieces of metal and a skeleton on the ground!" Genny choked.

Caitlin instinctively put an arm around Genny's shoulders. "Did you tell anybody?"

"Yeah! But my parents thought Don and his friends were pranking me. Nobody's seen Don since then, but his family thinks he's just hiding out for a few days to scare everybody. If the cops know whose skeleton that is they aren't saying."

Caitlin nodded. Don Fender's parents had been among the couples in her house for dinner the night they came back from fighting Prox Tone. Their son had been known to disappear for a few days now and then, and his family certainly had the financial influence to keep it from damaging his record when he did.

"That sounds like a pretty intense prank…" Caitlin said.

Genny's face fell. "You think that's all it is too?"

"No! Listen, monsters are all over the place. Maybe you noticed."

She nodded.

"We better get to class, but let's talk about this later, okay?" Caitlin suggested.

Genny smiled thinly and nodded again. She grabbed another book, slammed her locker shut and vanished into the crush of students filling the hall.

Two floors below, an unholy gurgling issued from the drain of the janitor's closet sink. A thin green sludge started to spill upwards from the grate and bubbled fiercely before forming itself into a geyser and leaping out of the sink onto the floor. It billowed upward again, as if alive…

Caitlin cast her eyes over the lunchtime crowd to see if Genevieve had shown up yet. Down at the other end sat a group of her other friends, chatting away. They'd invited her to join them, but she'd waved it off. It was nothing new; most of them had met her brother and knew how exhausting it could be putting up with him.

Suddenly she heard a thumped and started, but looked up to see Genny laying her bag on the table in front of an empty seat. She still looked exhausted, but most of the tension had drained from her face. "Thanks for listening, Catie. I'm just so freaked out. Even after what Don tried to do."

"I know what you mean, believe me. I was there when that tuning fork monster appeared a while ago, and I don't think I was ever so scared. But can you remember anything else about the spot, besides the pieces of metal and the skeleton?"

Genny thought for a second then answered her. "Actually, yeah. I saw these weird bubbles on the ground all over the place. When I tried to touch them they burned me a little." She held up her hand and Caitlin could indeed see Genny's index and middle fingertips were reddened.

"That's weird…bubbles that burn and a skeleton…" Caitlin mused. "Genny, I'm starting to get a picture of what happened and I don't like it…"

Genny bit her lip. "You mean…you think maybe that skeleton I found is Don?"

"…Maybe. Let's not jump to conclusions."

"But what if it is? What did it? Were they after Don or me--"

"Calm down, Genny," Caitlin said firmly. "You haven't seen or done anything unusual lately, have you?"

"Other than going out with Don? No. You think maybe he knew

something about those monsters attacking town, or something?"

"Not likely," Caitlin replied, not adding, "Vayon likes to keep his flunkies close to him."

"Yeah…Don's not that together," Genny said wistfully and smiled a bit, but then her features fell again. "But what if it was one of those monsters and it is after me? What'll I do??"

"Look--" Caitlin began, but stopped herself before she could say something she'd regret. "Let's go get some air, okay? It'll clear your head." Genny nodded. They pushed open the door into the hall, but hadn't taken two steps before Genny screamed. Bubbling out from under a door marked "STAFF ONLY" was a sheet of green slime. Before it had even registered properly in Caitlin's mind, the slime billowed upward and took on a humanoid shape. Within seconds it had solidified into a gray and gray body with a skull-like head, sheathed in the same foam spilling from spouts on his shoulders.

"Hello there," he rattled in a voice that reminded Caitlin of rusty crypt hinges, even though she'd never heard the sound. The floor sizzled where his dripping foam touched it. "Aren't you the one I saw in the woods the other night?"

"Oh God," Genny whispered. "It's him…he killed Don! Now he's after

me!"

Caitlin stepped between them. "Why are you after her?" she demanded.

"I'm not after anyone. I was simply righting a wrong before, and now I intend to right another!" The spouts on his shoulders rotated forwards to aim at the girls.

"Run!" Caitlin yelled, unnecessarily. They sprinted down a hall and up a flight of stairs. Caitlin looked over one shoulder and nearly screamed when she saw the monster gliding along the floor after them on a wave of foam, his feet not even moving.

"Where do you think you can run?!" he shrieked. "Nothing escapes Prox Foam!" He reared back a fist and hurled a giant glob at Genny, but at the last second Caitlin jumped in the way and it splattered it across her leg. She screamed and nearly collapsed, but forced herself to stay on her feet and keep running. Caitlin rounded a corner and shoved Genny into the first door she spotted. With the sound of burning tile coming ever closer, Caitlin raised her fist.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Glittering fibers swathed her from head to toe as she transformed once again into StellarPink. She reached for her Switch Mangum even before it appeared on her hip and gripped the haft as a looming shadow appeared on the wall. A second later Prox Foam slipped around the corner, a grin on his skeletal face.

"Switch Magnum!" Caitlin yelled, drawing and firing in one motion. The beam hit him full in the chest but Prox Foam only laughed and shot off a spout of his namesake at her. It covered her gun and she dropped it with a yelp. Within seconds it had been reduced to a heap of slag.

"I don't suppose you're interested in signing on, then?" Prox Foam

asked with a calm that sent shivers up Caitlin's body.

"Is that why you came here?!" she demanded. "To ask if I'd join???"

"No!" he grinned. "I came to destroy this symbol of the rich having the advantage in this broken model of society. Think of all the great minds that could have risen to greatness, if only they'd had the privilege of receiving an education at such a fine institution. In Master Vayon's world, there won't be any contest for care." The foam spouting from his shoulders frothed violently. "If you don't want to be part of that world, I'm all too happy to help you leave!"

* * *

Minutes later the Advancer, Stellarman's hovering car, skimmed to a halt outside St. Lucia's. The door opened and Daniel jumped out. He inspected the lake of green foam covering the entire courtyard and tossed a leaf onto it. He wasn't surprised when it disintegrated after a second.

"What is that stuff?" Bohdi called.

"Acid, looks like," Daniel replied. "Keep the Advancer running. Looks like we'll have to ride it to the door."

"This is Catie's school, right?" Aki asked.

"That's right," Bohdi confirmed.

"Why would Vayon want to attack a high school? Gonna steal test answers or something?" Aki laughed.

"Stow it," Daniel interrupted. "I don't know anybody else who could've done this, and whatever they're after, there's people in there and somehow I don't think Proxordo's bringing them lunch."

"How right you are," a woman's voice said. Suddenly a gang of Risen appeared up the street and swarmed toward them, waving their torched and

"Cosmic Evolution!" the four shouted and raised their rings. In a burst of light, they'd become Stellarman again.

"Blue, get the gun! But just give 'em a warning!!" Daniel ordered.

"You got it!" Aki replied. She jumped to the rear of the Advancer and pushed a button that made a nasty-looking laser turret rise up in front of her. She was taking aim at the ground in front of the Risen then without warning a black streak flew past and knocked her off the Advancer. Bohdi and Cliff piled out, calling, "Switch Magnum, Sword Mode!" They effortlessly knocked a pair of Risen aside with a single slash and were about to do so again the Risen parted and a strange new figure literally flew at Stellarman.

Unlike the Risen around she looked like she was made of actual flesh, though the ashy gray skin still suggested something other than human. She had shoulder-length hair that was so white it almost hurt to look at, which wasn't helped any by the form-fitting dress that barely hung to her hips and thigh-high boots matching the hue exactly. Her eyes were the same familiar bronze color as the rest of Proxordo's members, though, and her long, knife-like fingernails were an opaque black.

Daniel drew his Switch Magnum and fired in an arc in front of his teammates, sending plumes of sparks into the air and buying Aki enough time to get to her feet. "I'm gonna tell you this once, tinheads. Back away and nobody has to get hurt," he said. The woman laughed.

"You're the ones with your backs to a pool of acid, Stellarman," she sneered. "Why don't you just step aside and let us destroy this waste of space?

"Why don't you admit your cause isn't as nice as you people pretend?" Daniel retorted. "What did anyone in there do to you?"

"A new order's coming, the old one needs to go. Our recruiting agents were through here, they had their chance."

"I give up," Daniel said under his breath, then said warningly. "Forget it, lady."

"Lady?" she scoffed. "Dishadow, the darkest impulses harnessed for the greatest good, at your service." She curtseyed melodramatically, then looked up at Stellarman flashed a malicious smile, revealing fangs. "Attack!"

* * *

"Miss Delicos, what's the meaning of this?!" shouted a teacher who'd recovered from her surprise already. Genny hastily untangled from the student she'd knocked down on the way in and explained herself.

"There's a monster in the hall! Caitlin Ashford's in trouble!"

"A monster?" the teacher asked dubiously. A few students giggled quietly.

"Look for yourself!" Genny grabbed the arm of her collision partner and dragged her to the door, then pressed her head to the window set in it.

"Oh crap…"

Prox Foam fired a jet of slime at Caitlin who dodged just in time for a row of lockers to be melted in her place. She crouched and jumped toward the monster, starting to aim a kick when suddenly pain shot up Caitlin's leg. She gasped and only managed to bounce off his torso.

The monster thrust a sizzling fist at Caitlin who rolled out of the way just in time. Ignoring her stinging shin, Caitlin swung her hardest kick with her unburned leg at Prox Foam's head. He grunted and jerked away, and Caitlin followed it a punch to the head, then another. She was about to kick again when he seized her by the leg. Before she could pull free he grinned evilly and excreted more foam from his palm. Caitlin screamed and shoved him as hard as she could, just barely breaking away.

"The Fire of Truth consumes all!" he gurgled, sending blasts of foam in Caitlin's direction. She ducked and flipped awkwardly from one, then two, then three, but then pain exploded across her back. She'd been hit! Stifling a scream of pain, she turned and limped away as fast as she could.

What was she supposed to do? She'd only hurt herself in attacking Prox Foam, and as she passed a window she could see the lake of foam surrounding the building and beyond it Caitlin could see the others, locked in battle. Aki was a blue blur dodging and ducking through the foot soldiers, knocking one over with a punch here, another off his feet with a leg-sweep there. Bohdi and Cliff each grabbed a Risen by the shoulders then slammed the soldiers together. Off on his own, Daniel was just barely keeping a strange gray woman at bay. He fired his Switch Magnum at her from point blank but she melted into the ground then sprang up behind him and grabbed him in a bear hug before smashing face-down onto the street hard enough to crack the asphalt.

She was on her own.

"The Fire of Truth consumes all!" Prox Foam repeated. Caitlin staggered around a series of corners, but Prox Foam's cackling only seemed to get louder each time she took another step. She wondered if she ought to just turn and make a stand when she noticed her gloved hand turning transparent. A few seconds later Prox Foam slid by, leaving a ragged trail of half-melted tiles in his wake.

After a long moment of silence faint footsteps made their way into the hall, though there was no one there. A second later a blurry outline formed, then solidified into StellarPink. She kicked open the door of the nearest empty classroom then slumped against the wall, completely spent. So that was what the fox robot had done to her Starlight, she could turn invisible. Well, didn't that just make her feel like a vital component in the fight for truth and justice. She could probably sneak up on Prox Foam, but then what? He was made of acid.

Why did it always have to be her? When her stupid brother got in trouble at home, who had to come to his rescue every single time? When her parents wanted to show off their fine offspring, why was she always dragged downstairs to be cooed over while Cliff stayed in his room, listening to music or playing videogames? When Genny needed someone to support her, why was Caitlin the only friend she had who stepped forward?

Caitlin concentrated, forcing out thoughts of her various abused body parts and focusing on the warm, throbbing sensation of Starlight concentrated in her chest. Its warmth slowly spread outward, to her shoulders, her head, her arms, her hands, her legs, her feet…

At the beginning of their training Commander Thebes had taught the team a technique she'd called the Starlight Suspension. Basically, by surrounding themselves with their Starlight, they could induce a regenerative trance. The healing process would be rapidly sped up, but until it was completed they were totally vulnerable and the process rapidly consumed their Starlight.

Well, that was something she was prepared to face. Caitlin had enough emotional strain to look forward to at home, she had no intention of getting used to taking abuse from artificial freaks too.

The world around her began to fuzz out. Good, she thought, that must mean it's working. The chairs, the desks, the windows became indistinct blobs in the darkened room. As she drifted into complete oblivion, one thought continued to dwell in Caitlin's mind.

"Why is it always me…why is it always me…"

* * *

Dishadow raked her nails across Daniel's chest then easily blocked the blade of his sword on her other arm without so much as a scratch. Without warning she slammed her forehead against his and he felt it even through his helmet. He didn't even see her other hand coming through the stars. The next thing he knew he was on the ground just raising his sword in time to keep her nails from sinking into his torso.

"I'm coming, kid!" Aki called but three Risen jumped in front of her.

"What do you think your tombstone'll say?" Dishadow grinned down at her victim. "Then again, that depends on what I decide to do to you, doesn't it? How many pieces do you think would look nastiest in the papers?"

Daniel didn't answer with words; suddenly his red-clad leg landed a solid kick on Dishadow's abdomen and she was knocked off-balance just long enough for Daniel roll out from under her. She lashed out with her one arm, but Daniel jumped in an arc over her head, turning and delivering another kick to her back. She yelped and staggered forward from the blow, but the instant Daniel landed he charged, pressing his attack.

"Clash Knuckle!" He raised his arm and his gauntlet appeared from nowhere before clamping over it. Dishadow tore a hunk of asphalt out of the ground with her bare hands and threw it at Daniel but he effortlessly darted to one side and in the next instant he was right in front of her. With him hardly having to will it his Starlight flared and concentrated itself in his raised arm.

"Great Fang Chop!" He swung the Clash Knuckle at Dishadow with all his might, a wolf's howl cutting the air as he struck across her chest. She screamed and flew backward, scarlet explosions erupting all over her.

"Had enough, or do I have to get tough?" Daniel growled.

Dishadow scoffed. "You think you can intimidate me, boy?" she asked, defiantly rising to her full height despite her injuries. She took a step forward, then coughed up a gobbet of black fluid and stumbled. The last Risen went spinning through the air past her and bouncing off a brick wall across the street. The other Stellarmen gathered at Daniel's side.

"What's the matter, boss? This girl givin' you trouble?" Aki said in a smirking tone.

"Save it, Blue," he retorted and aimed his Switch Magnum at Dishadow. "Trigger Fury!"

"Can we even do this without Catie?" Cliff mumbled but drew and aimed his gun along with the others. They fired, their beams streaking toward Dishadow and twisting around each other in flight. The rammed into Dishadow who struggled for a second, then screeched and flattened. A second later she'd been reduced to a dim shadow that fluttered to the ground. Then, without warning, it streaked across the ground with blinding speed, slashing a path right through the foam lake in front of the school.

"Go!" Daniel barked, running through the already shrinking gap in the green murk. After a second of surprise the others rushed after him. The foam congealed together again just as Bohdi stomped through the front door nearly bowling the others over in his rush. Dishadow zipped along the floor and Daniel ran to the end of the hall after her and reached a T-junction just in time to see Dishadow flitting off into the distance.

"All right!" Daniel said. "Find Pink, and if you find whatever's going on in here, report in right away! I got a fight to finish…"

* * *

"Where are you, StellarPink?" Prox Foam seemed to laugh as he oozed through the halls. He fired a blast at a classroom door and gushed in even before it had finished melting. The schoolgirls who'd been huddling inside screamed as he appeared, and screamed again when the foam engulfed the first of them.

Genny clenched her eyes shut and tried to tune out the screams. What could they do? It was obvious even that Stellarman who'd shown up hadn't stopped the monster, and she'd seen the stuff the monster was made spewing surrounding the school from the window. She let out a helpless sigh, then felt like hitting herself. Caitlin was out there somewhere. The only person who'd been willing to listen to her story and not think she was just the victim of a prank when she found her date's skeleton.

Out there somewhere with a monster who was melting anyone he ran into.

Without another thought Genny broke away from the group of cowering students she'd been hiding with and made for the door. Someone grabbed her arm--she thought it was the teacher--but she yanked free and slipped into the hall. Prox Foam was oozing maliciously after the owners of two terrified screams. Genny jogged the other way, peering into classrooms trying to spot Caitlin among the students too afraid to leave the rooms they were in when they heard the bubbling in the hall.

She didn't see Caitlin in any of the rooms she snuck by, but Caitlin wouldn't be hiding waiting for the end, would she? No, she was bound to be looking for a way out. If the monster hadn't gotten her, that was…Genny looked into one last room then stopped. The lights were out, but from the sunlight trickling in through the blinds Genny could just make out someone slumped against the far wall, and the half-star design on their shirt looked awfully familiar…

Genny opened the door as quietly as possible and ducked inside, then almost jumped as she recognized the motionless figure: StellarPink, who she'd seen fighting the monster before! Genny knelt by her side and was relieved to hear her breathing.

"Hey, can you move? We need to get out of here!"

"Why is it always me…why is it always me…"

"What?" Genny asked, but the ranger just sat there.

"Why is it always me…why is it always me…"

A menacing bubbling noise started to come from the hall, and Genny grabbed Caitlin's shoulders and shook her. "Snap out of it! The monster's coming back!"

"Why is it always me…why is it always me…why is it always me…"

Genny tried to drag her away but she seemed rooted to the spot. Then she noticed black burns covering the back of Caitlin's suit were slowly shrinking. Two finished closing even as she watched. Maybe moving StellarPink wasn't the best idea if she was recovering from her last meeting with the monster. But if Genny couldn't move her, maybe she could help in another way…

She opened the door and wasn't surprised to see a Prox Foam oozing toward her. She let out her best scream of terror, pretended to fumble with the door latch, then turned and ran for all she was worth away from the blob.

"I've got this whole school surrounded! Where do you think you can go?!" Prox Foam laughed and sprayed a salvo of slime jets at Genny but she put on a burst of speed and they hissed against the floor instead. A gob landed on the sleeve of her uniform jacket but she ripped it off and kept running. She came to a stairway and slid down the handrail on her butt to the ground floor, then ducked into an alcove with a pay phone and stopped. Over her own labored breathing she heard a wet *splup* noise then a second later another. It only took her a second to realize what it was: the monster was coming down the stairs. After her. If he hadn't been out to get her before…

Genny ran from the alcove toward the cafeteria. If it was still open she could take a shortcut to the pool. Maybe if she could lure themonster into the water…She flung open the door and was running in when she realized the room wasn't empty. Floating lazily above a table near the middle of the room was a young woman wearing a red mini-dress and matching thigh-high boots. Her hair was a bright blue and she was surrounded by a soft glow. She looked up as she heard the door creak and Genny froze.

"Welcome, child," the woman smiled. "Are you willing to leave your life of flesh behind?"

"If I was I would've stayed back with the monster."

The woman chuckled and shook her head. "Oh, you misunderstand, child. It's all right, so many do. We've been sent to destroy this symbol of the unbalanced social order, but no soul is lost forever. At least that's the way I feel. Just look at you, child. So young but so full of life. You'd quite make a fine Risen…"

Before she could say more a weird, thin black shape slid through a door, along the floor and jumped up into the woman, vanishing into her bit by bit until it was completely gone. The glow around her turned a shade darker.

Genny had seen enough. She broken into a run, veering as far around the woman as she could, but all of a sudden Genny felt something splash across her back and start to burn. She only managed a strangled squeal before collapsing.

"Got you!" Prox Foam gurgled triumphantly from a hole where the doors had once been.

"Such a waste…" the woman shook her head.

"Every time I see you guys I find something else to hate!" someone yelled as they charged through the doorway through which the shadowy figure had entered. It was Daniel, brandishing his sword, and without wasting a second he launched himself at the woman. Casually she raised her arm and blocked his sword, the glow around her intensifying.

"Just because you defeated the dark side of my nature, don't think you're any threat to me, Stellarman," she warned.

Daniel hadn't noticed, but there was a resemblance between her and Dishadow. The large eyes, the thin nose and high cheek bones, they even had the same hairstyle. The only difference was this one's healthy complexion. What kinds of insane things did Proxordo's members do to themselves?

"Mistress Dione, leave him to me!" Prox Foam roared and rushed forward. Daniel flipped aside as a stream of slime dissolved the ground where he'd been standing. He danced out of the way of another shot but was almost hit by a third. He tried to keep both the monster and the woman--Dione--in sight, but she made no move to attack. In fact she sighed and looked away.

"Prox Foam, destroy this school and be done with it," Dione said. "It's bad enough all these lives have to end to make our point..." She became transparent then vanished completely.

"With pleasure," Prox Foam grinned. Daniel kicked over a table onto the monster but it melted into nothing mere seconds after the monster touched it. He switched his sword back its gun form and fired at it but Prox Foam made no move at all to avoid the shots, which hit with no effect at all. The monster laughed and surged forward when the Arc Blader spun by through the air and without missing a beat Daniel grabbed onto it and was carried out of the Prox Foam's path.

"Now what?!" Prox Foam grunted. He whirled around to where Daniel had gone and saw him standing beside the rest of Stellarman. Cliff unshouldered his hammer and Aki brandished her twin swords.

"Where you been?" Daniel asked.

"I was using the suspen…oh God!" Caitlin screamed as she recognized the prone form on the floor not far away. "Oh God…oh God! Genny!" Her eyes narrowed behind her visor. "You are so dead…"

"Big talk, but how do you plan to act on it I barely need to touch you to burn you up?" Prox Foam taunted, gushing foam from his palms for emphasis.

"He's got a point," Daniel admitted.

"I don't know about that," Caitlin replied. "I think I hurt him when I kicked him in the head. The skull's probably his weak spot."

"Really…?"

"You can talk in the afterlife!" Prox Foam thundered and charged, spewing slime jets everywhere. Stellarman scattered in all directions, flipping acrobatically over tables and chairs as they dodged the slime.

"Yellow, use your new move!" Daniel called. "Go for the skull!"

"I don't need you to tell me!" Cliff retorted but already his form was glowing with Starlight. "Wings of Wrath!" he cried and flew toward Prox Foam. Cliff threw his arms wide and feathery transparent wings appeared along their length. Cliff threw a powerful hook, the wings carving right through the slime surrounding Prox Foam's head and into the skull itself. Prox Foam screamed. Cliff threw another hook, slicing into the skull again. Prox Foam reached out for Cliff with dripping hands, but Cliff swung with both arms at once and his blazing wings chopped the monster's hands clean off. He roared angrily and spewed acid everywhere from spouts and stumps alike.

"You've gotten in our way for the last time!" the monster screamed

"I'll take it from here," Caitlin said darkly. "Vul Stealth..." She held her Arc Blader in front of her and transferred her remaining Starlight into the weapon. Within moments it was a dazzling pink star in her hands, then...disappeared completely. She threw the unseen weapon with all the strength she could manage. Prox Foam charged through the team, batting away Cliff and Daniel at once as they tried to strike with their swords. He was almost on top of Caitlin when the Arc Blader shimmered back into being behind him and rammed into his head so hard it was blasted clear through the far wall. Caitlin chased after it and heaved a sigh to see the skull sitting lifeless on the ground with her boomerang embedded in it.

The relief was cut short by a shimmer in the skies. Caitlin recoiled as she made out the image of Amro Vayon himself, resplendent in his golden armor. "Prox Foam, rise again, your power magnified by ten! Prox Foam, show them your power! Make this our enemies' final hour!" He pointed his staff at the skull and a white ray shot from the tip. The skull shook, then exploded. When the flash cleared, there stood Prox Foam, but now two hundred feet tall. He gathered a foam ball in one hand and threw it at the cafeteria roof.

Caitlin turned to yell a warning only to see the others already running the other way, Genny draped over Bohdi's shoulder. Bits of the roof fell in all around, smashing tables leaking that horrible slime wherever they landed.

Caitlin ran to join them and as she did, she pulled her Stellphone from her belt and without wasting a second yelled into it, "Ptolemic Machines, Launch!" By the time they made it out the front door Prox Foam had sprayed the roof of the main building with his shoulder spouts and was about to fire again when a laser bolt hit him square in the forehead. He roared and staggered away from the school just as the Ptolemic Machines dashed into sight. Wolf, Hydra, Eagle, Lizard, and Fox.

Caitlin was the first to leap to into her robot's cockpit. For a split second she could see Bohdi, stilly carrying Genny as he jumped into Hydra, then she was sitting at the controls of Fox and angrily seized the control grips.

"Don't let him spare any attention on the school!" Daniel ordered.

"Fox Fire!" Caitlin cried. Lasers roared from banks on Fox's sides, aimed right at Prox Foam's head. Before they hit he melted and reformed a block away.

"Not fast enough!" he laughed. Eagle swooped by as soon as the words were out of his mouth, banging its talons against the monster's skull. Lizard scuttled along the side of a building and blasted beams from its eyes that burned into his chest. Prox Foam retaliated by spraying slime from his fingertips but Lizard zipped out of the way and only concrete and glass evaporated with a hiss.

"Pink, Black, follow me on this one!" Daniel called as Wolf charged Prox Foam from the side. "Moon Song!" Wolf howled, firing a column of energy rings from its mouth. The surprised monster was buffeted off-balance but quickly recovered, reaching out for Wolf with a giant sizzling hand but Hydra quickly slithered forward.

"Quintoxin!" Bohdi yelled and from all five serpentine mouths flowed a gaseous green energy that burned into the monster's hands. He yelped in pain and wheeled back, spraying foam from his fingertips but Wolf and Hydra took off at full speed in different directions, only catching a few drops as they left him behind.

"We got his attention, Pink! Get him good!"

"One more try…Fox Fire!" Again Caitlin fired Fox's weapons. Again the beams whizzed toward Prox Foam's head. This time they hit home. Prox Foam let out a reverberating scream and nearly fell over. Fountains of sparks went up from every joint in his body.

"Nice going! Star Cross!" said Daniel. In response to his command, Wolf turned vertical with its hind legs extending downward and panels on its back flipping outward resembling shoulders. Lizard and Fox folded their legs up inside and then bent upward at the neck and attacked to the bottom of the wolf, becoming legs. Eagle folded in its wings, assuming a rectangular shape, and lodged itself in the hollow in Wolf's back. Eagle's head flipped backward revealing a silver human mask. Finally, Hydra descended toward the gestalt. Its outermost heads detached from the whole then affixed themselves to the shoulder joints extended from wolf, becoming arms. The next two heads affixed to the top of the shoulders and the last closed around the head like a helmet. "Roaring Sentinel, StellarSavage!" The robot roared and the ground spewed streams of white Starlight from around its feet.

"All right, let's finish this," Daniel said, but Caitlin dropped her hand onto his shoulder.

"Daniel, do you mind if I take the center seat? Just this time?"

"Of course," Daniel replied and stood, allowing Caitlin to take his seat. He barely had time to jump into hers before Caitlin had seized the controls and sent StellarSavage charging toward Prox Foam.

The monster aimed his spouts at them and fired off the biggest blast they'd seen yet but StellarSavage dashed around it and dug one claw into the monster's chest. It lashed out with its other claw and battered Prox Foam's skull. He growled and showered the robot with foam from spouts and palms. Immediately StellarSavage's arms and shoulders started to pit and deform.

"Catie…" Aki said warningly.

"I know!" she replied. "Claw Driver!" StellarSavage's right claw started to spin until it was a glowing spike. There was nowhere for Prox Foam to run as StellsarSavage stabbed the Claw Driver into its skeletal face.

Explosions rocked Prox Foam's body, but Caitlin could've sworn his mouth was pulled back in a wicked smile. "You've beaten me, Stellarman, but I've still won…" He fell and exploded. Gobbets of green slime splattered on the sides of nearby buildings.

* * *

"These monsters just get tougher every time," Bohdi sighed.

"Yeah…" Caitlin said, only half-listening. She gazed back at Genny, still unconscious in the back of the cockpit, then over the jagged remains of St. Lucia's.

The five youths stood by and watched as paramedics tended to the minor burns the lucky few students had sustained, while many more packed into ambulances. Hazmat technicians busied themselves siphoning the slime still surrounding the school and covering the walls into lead barrels. Daniel had offered to let his teammates head home after the Ptolemic Machines had been sent back to Sol Dome, but Caitlin had refused and the others, he suspected, had done likewise because they didn't want to seem indifferent to what she'd been through.

"Such…horrible disregard," said Bohdi, who'd assumed the holographic disguise of a burly black teenager. "I wonder how many died outright when he blasted that acid of his onto the roof."

"At least we only let him get off one shot," Daniel sighed, like he had no illusions about the difference that made.

A paramedic walked over to the group and asked, "Excuse me miss, are you Caitlin Ashford?"

"Yes, that's me. What is it?"

"One of the students is awake. She wanted to talk to you before we took her in for more treatment."

Caitlin nodded and followed behind the medic while he led them to a gurney on which Genny lay. She smiled weakly up at her friend. Caitlin gingerly stroked her cheek. "Genny, I'm so sorry--"

"Don't be," Genny cut her off. "You're always busting your ass looking out for everyone else, I just wanted to pay back a little of that. Keep fighting, Catie…Keep fighting…"

Genny's eyelids fluttered and she fell limp. "I'm sorry miss, but we have to take her in now." They started wheeling her toward an ambulance. Silence fell over the team as Genny vanished into the back of the vehicle, which a minute later had vanished into the city streets.


	8. Phase 8: Attraction

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 8: Attraction

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Bright bursts of red light exploded against the black sky while sounds like gunfire peeled out across the empty expanse with each flash.

Daniel, once again garbed as StellarRed stood on a rocky plateau, just where and when he couldn't be sure, but neither could spare any attention to getting to the bottom of the mystery. He could _feel_ the power rolling off the figure towering in front of him, and even though he knew he would exhaust himself even faster every punch, every kick he threw glowed with red Starlight. As much as he could channel went into every attack.

But every time he launched another attack, his opponent seemed to see it coming and casually parried it with the long staff he effortlessly wielded in one hand. Daniel threw a flurry of charged punches but his opponent continued to turn them aside with ease and advanced on him, pressing Daniel back.

"The power of the star is impressive, but as you can see it pales before the heat of Truth itself," he laughed. "Add your power to mine!"

"You're crazy, Vayon!" Daniel cried. "First you kidnap me, then you try to kill me, then you act like I've got some reason to do you a favor!"

"You fancy yourself a defender of humankind, just as I do. You'll understand our goals are the same soon enough," the figure before him replied.

Daniel was rearing back another punch when Vayon leveled his staff at him and a beam of light lanced from the end. Everything turned white…

…then suddenly he was sitting on the floor of his dorm room. What just happened? He'd been doing his daily meditation, trying to push the limits of his Starlight little by little, when suddenly he'd seen himself fighting for his life against Amro Vayon.

Daniel stood up, shaking his head as he went to fridge to find something other than tap water to wash the dust from his throat. He fished out a half-empty milk carton and was looking for a clean glass when there was a knock at the door. He jogged over and opened it, the milk carton dangling from his other hand.

"Hey! There you are!" A pair of arms reached out and seized him by the shoulders. "I told you guys he was still alive!"

"Hi, Johnny," said Daniel. Standing in the doorway was his lanky friend, that boyish, cocky grin on his face as always. Behind him was another young man with black hair and dark eyes, and an altogether calmer smile on his face than was on Johnny's. Beside him was a girl with long brown hair and soft features. Not to mention the deepest hazel eyes he'd ever seen. She was pretty, kind of, but no matter how rosy her lips were, Daniel could never get past how _thin _they were…

"Hi, Steve. Hi, Annie. Guess I haven't been around much lately…"

Steve pulled a bill form his pocket and passed it to Johnny as inconspicuously as he could, whereupon Johnny deliberately snatched it with a flourish and jammed it into his own pocket. One could almost see the fumes of a slow burn rising from Steve's head.

"Well don't just stand there in the hall," Daniel said. Steve and Annie took a seat on his soft while Johnny simply leaned against the wall, surreptitiously eying a girlie magazine he'd lent Daniel and smirking out of one side of his mouth. Daniel just nodded. "So what are you guys doing here? Am I not answering the phone?"

"Dude, we've hardly seen you since that night you got kidnapped," Steve replied. "And you won't talk about what happened to anybody. We were afraid you were traumatized or something."

Daniel chortled and shook his head, but stopped when he realized it was true. He hadn't seem them much since the night he was captured by Risen. Mostly that was owing to the time outside of classes he spent doing Stellarman stuff, but he hadn't been making nearly as much time for his social life as before that night. It wasn't unreasonable they'd be worried about him.

"No…" Daniel replied as he looked intently at the floor.

Annie asked stood up and elevated his chin to meet her eyes. "Then tell us if something's wrong, Daniel."

"Bet when he got kidnapped he met a girl," Johnny said. "He won her eternal gratitude when he fought off their captors and he's been seeing her behind our backs." Steve shot him an exasperated look.

Daniel quickly stepped in. "Look guys, I'm sorry. I've just been thinking it's time to figure out what I want to do with myself."

"Oh, trying to settle on a major," Steve said with understanding.

"Yeah," Daniel nodded, "How about we all hit Mario's tonight?"

"No thanks. I'm watching my waist," Annie replied.

"Lucky you," said Johnny. "They just put in a low-fat menu."

"And in the meantime…" From behind the couch Daniel produced a videogame with a skeleton blasting a hole through a troll's chest with a spiked basketball on the cover. He hadn't even opened the shrink wrap. "I just got MLB."

"Awww man, I forgot all about that," Steve groaned. "Bet that voicemail was about my copy coming in…"

Annie had already picked up a controller. "Are you guys gonna talk all day?" Steve and Johnny grabbed for another at the same time. Daniel found his knife, cut open the game and slid the disc in.

As the three shapes of the company's logo flew onto the screen, Daniel couldn't help feeling somehow out of place.

* * *

Meanwhile, it seemed like a perfectly normal day to the people making their way up and down Center Avenue. If one were watching closely they might see an occasional motorist furtively casting their eyes skyward as if looking for danger, but if they'd been focusing their efforts a bit lower, perhaps they would have seen a new threat in time.

All of a sudden something shot out of nowhere and clamped onto the side of a car. The driver barely had time to yelp in surprise before his car crunched into the one next to his. The object attached to the side, a blue disc with an "S" etched into the side, detached from the car and clamped onto a nearby streetlight. Another disc, this one red with an "N" engraved on it, attached itself to another streetlight adjacent to the first. The two fixtures creaked in protest as they were pulled from their moorings and smashed together in the middle of the street, crushing a car caught between them.

A scream rang out, then was joined by countless more as pedestrians took off at top speed and drivers abandoned their vehicles while others swerved erratically around each other to leave the area with all possible haste. First merely a mote against the afternoon sky, a gleaming shape swiftly descended to the street.

Like the other Truthcraft that had made their presence felt in Cape Lombard, this intruder was humanoid in shape, but covered in boxy green armor on chest and feet, with black and yellow cables running the length of his arms and legs. A red J-shaped formation emerged from each shoulder. His sculpted face was impassive, even as he raised his arms fired a barrage of red discs onto the side of a building, then a barrage of blue discs into the rows of abandoned cars. The cars shot toward the building like daggers and smashed away a chunk of the building as they arced into the next street. The building creaked, then toppled, exploding into a cloud of dust and flying concrete shards…

* * *

"Go…go…go!" Annie said as her player launched the ball.

"No…no!" Daniel chanted under his breath. It arced through the air toward the basket, then…then…

The screen showed static before turning black. The box fan in the window was slowing down too. "Awww…no!" Annie groaned. Daniel entered the hall which was already filling up with confused students leaving their rooms to see what was going on. Just then, a faint but familiar ring came from his pocket.

"I'm gonna go over to Robinson to see if it's just us," he announced to his friends, then ducked into the stairs. As fast as he could he made his way to the ground floor and out the back door where pressed his Stellphone to his ear. "What's going on, Val?"

The signal was full of static buzz, but after a second he could hear the calm voice of Valentine, the SDA's loyal android. "Stellarman! Something's giving off a huge amount of magnetic *buzz* Center and Eighth Street. Team, *crackle* -cept immediately!"

"I'm on my way!" Daniel responded and raised his ring. "Cosmic Evolution!"

* * *

Wordlessly, the Truthcraft pointed his fingers at a bus speeding down a perpendicular road to the one he was stomping down and was about to fire when a blazing shaft of light skimmed one shoulder. Automatically his head rotated a hundred eighty degrees to see someone clad entirely in red and white zooming toward him on a motorcycle, a laser pistol in one hand.

StellarRed.

Immediately he shot off a blue disc that clamped to the motorcycle's handlebars and the next thing Daniel knew it was rocketing backwards. He jumped off and fired his Switch Magnum again and again but the lasers only glanced off the Truthcraft's armor. Daniel landed running and yelled, "Clash Knuckle!" even as he cocked back his arm to punch. He landed a punch with all his might that managed to knock the monster back a few steps. He was about to attack again when the monster suddenly shot a red disc over Daniel's shoulder which attached to the side of a pick-up truck while holding a humming blue disc in his other hand.

The truck flew through the air and Daniel ducked under it just in time. The monster jumped over it with ease and shot a red disc onto the Clash Knuckle. Daniel lunged toward the monster to press the attack but found himself being dragged backward, toward where his motorcycle had come to rest at the bottom of a streetlamp. Daniel relaxed his fist and slid free of the Clash Knuckle, but what then? He could try his wolf attack, but it would burn a lot of Starlight, and what if it didn't stop the monster? What was taking the others so long to get there?

The monster leveled one hand at Daniel and fired a blue disc that he chopped from the air just before it hit him then vaulted over the monster's head. "Switch Magnum, Sword Mode!" He stabbed the blade into the joint between the monster's torso and shoulder and was rewarded with a mechanical gurgle of pain. Daniel gripped the hilt and was about to slash at the monster's arm when something hammered into his side.

Daniel flew twenty feet into the air, bounced off the side of an overpass and landed heavily on his back. The world only took a second to stop swimming before his eyes, but once it had he could make out a scaly green beast with an alligator-like head and a tail as thick as a tree trunk crouching near the monster he'd already been fighting. The armor encircling its chest, wrists and ankles was all too familiar.

"Haikoga…" Daniel croaked.

The reptilian warrior puffed air through his nostrils as some kind of acknowledgement. "Prox Polar, collapse the bridge on him, why don't you?" he said. "I suppose that'll be dramatic enough for Vayon."

The monster complied by raising his loaded hands and firing two discs, one landing to the ground beside Daniel and the other on a beam above. The metal groaned as the magnetic power of the discs pulled together. Daniel desperately sucked in air and tried to roll out of the way but the impact had shaken him badly. The bridge suddenly sagged when a blue streak flew from nowhere and knocked the monster into Haikoga.

"Aki? Is that you?" Daniel managed to wheeze.

Indeed it was StellarBlue who dashed to his side before grabbing his shoulders and pulling him out from under the bridge just before it crumbled completely. "Bet you never thought you'd be glad to see me, huh, kid?" she asked as she helped him to his feet.

"What makes you say that?"

"I'll tell you later!" Aki replied just before Prox Polar shot two sizzling lightning bolts from the formations on his shoulders while Haikoga opened his massive jaws and spewed a gout of flame. Daniel could feel the flame even through his suit as he spun out of the way.

Aki fired her Switch Magnum through the flames, hoping to hit Haikoga in the only vulnerable spot he'd demonstrated in their last fight, but he snapped his jaws shut and launched himself at her. "Dual Calibur!" she called and lunged to the left, slashing at Haikoga with her twin swords the instant they appeared, but even the superior blades skittered off his scales. She barely managed to avoid a sudden sweep of his tail. Daniel stabbed for Prox Polar's elbow joint but the monster was too quick and nearly fried him with another barrage of lightning.

The two Stellarman flipped away from their opponents and landed beside each other. "It's no good, we'll have to hit 'em with everything we've got," Daniel said.

"I still got my weapons, I'll take the dragon guy," Aki offered.

"Good thinking," Daniel said with a trace of…was it admiration? Before she had a chance to puzzle it out Daniel rushed Prox Polar. The monster fired his lightning attack but Daniel ran back and forth dodging the bolts. Aki took off toward Haikoga before he could come the monster's aid. He swung his scaly fists but Aki crouched, jumped over Haikoga's head and before she touched the ground, she struck.

"Komodo Jaws!" Aki yelled, her scimitars burning with blue light as she thrust them into Haikoga's torso. Like the bacterial stew in the mouth of a komodo dragon, the power of Aki's attack coursed through Haikoga's body and he screamed loud enough to rattle window panes three stories up. He swatted Aki away with a powerful hand, but small explosions shook his body and he almost collapsed.

"Great Fang Chop!" she heard Daniel yell nearby. He raised one hand straight up, glowing red with his Starlight, and brought it down with all his might on Prox Polar's chest. The monster made no sound of pain but electricity arced over its body and spat chaotically from the formations on its shoulders.

"You've improved, Stellarman," Haikoga gasped. "But this is only beginning, believe me…" He grasped Prox Polar's shoulder, and in a flash of light they both vanished.

"Wow, you _have _been practicing your powers," Daniel said a second later.

"You sound surprised."

"Sorry, I was trying for impressed."

They were interrupted by a noise like a giant fan. The Advancer had appeared down the street and was whizzing toward them.

"Just in time, huh?" Aki snickered. "Bet Cliff's gonna be mad to hear he missed out on a fight."

"You could sound like you enjoy the thought a little less, Blue," Daniel replied, he himself sounding like he didn't mean it.

* * *

Haikoga reappeared in a long room full of Risen and immediately staggered over to the nearest wall. Within seconds he was surrounded by the metallic rank and file of Proxordo.

"Relax, sir! You're safe now!" one said and hooked his arm over her shoulders.

"Spare me your sympathy," Haikoga snarled. "Just get me onto the glyph and be quick about it."

The Risen recoiled in shock but helped him limp to a recess in the wall where an ornate golden P was emblazoned on the floor. As soon as he stepped onto it, a transparent image appeared in front of him. He was clad in regal golden armor and toted a bird-headed staff in one hand. It was Amro Vayon himself.

"You've returned, loyal Haikoga," he smiled, and there was a glint of irony in his bronze eyes as he did. "You were wounded?"

"It's a trifling thing," Haikoga replied. "The Fire will restore me in no time."

"Indeed it will," Vayon nodded. "How does the plan progress?"

"It goes well enough. Two receptacles were placed yet Prox Polar managed to inflict massive collateral damage at the same time. Stellarman doesn't suspect a thing. However, Prox Polar was damaged. Severely, I think."

"Don't worry about the Truthcraft, steel yourself for your own recovery."

Haikoga clenched his teeth. "I'm always _steeled,_ as you say."

"Of course. That's why you belong in my vanguard." Vayon's image suddenly deformed and flowed around Haikoga, then started to seep into the gouges from StellarBlue's swords. It felt like someone was pouring lava into his wounds, but Haikoga fought down a bellow and endured it. His wounds would heal soon, and the sooner Vayon had his precious world, the sooner Haikoga could leave it…

* * *

"Everything's under control now, Commander," Red/Daniel reported, remembering to use her title. "The monster was using some kind of discs that gave off magnetic pulls, but they all turned into dust after he left."

"I don't like this," said the image of Commander Thebes, hovering over one end of Daniel's Stellphone. "It's not like Vayon to send such an easy monster."

"Easy, huh?" Aki retorted, bobbing her blue helmet. "Tell the people who own the building over there. The half that's still there, anyway."

"Must've been easy, if you two could've taken it," Cliff said.

"That's enough, Yellow," Thebes interrupted. "Be on your toes, team. I don't think this is over yet." The transmission faded.

"Sorry it took us so long to get here," Caitlin said.

"Don't worry about it," Daniel replied. "But I want to hear about it if anybody notices anything weird, got it? I think Thebes was right, that was too easy."

"Hey," Aki cut in, sounding a touch annoyed. "We did good."

"Thanks. Look guys, like I said keep me posted, but I really gotta go. My excuse for leaving was pretty lame."

"If you think that monster'll come back after gettin' his ass beat by you and Aki," Cliff said.

"Pffft. Whatever, Yellow," Daniel replied. How could that kid be so blasé about what they did? Daniel shook his head and walked away, letting his suit fade.

"Hey kid, wait up!" Aki called and ran after him, turning back into an ordinary teen in a blue flash. "I got something I really need to ask you about."

"Something you can't say in front of everybody else, I bet."

"Heh. No wonder you're the leader, right?" Aki grinned, but then her face adopted a serious expression Daniel didn't remember seeing before. She whispered as they walked along, "Look, my parents are on my back to meet somebody. Thing is, they're working their butts off to make me go to the same rich kids school as Cliff."

"There's nobody nice there?"

Aki shook her head. "It's not that. It's just they're rich, I'm not. If I did get serious with somebody at Reaves, I'd feel like I was doing it to get at their money."

"Which is the exact opposite of why they're sending you, I bet," Daniel said.

"Daniel, could you do me a huuuuuuuuuuuge favor? If my parents think I'm seeing a guy who's going places, even if I don't go to school with him, they'll probably get off my case."

"I'm going places? I haven't even picked a major."

"Nobody picks a major their first year. You got into Armstrong U, that's good enough. Two curriculums there are in the top ten for the country, you know."

Daniel chortled and shook his head. "And what curriculums are those?"

"Theater and journalism." Daniel shook his head again, but Aki pressed forward. "Look, I've got money from waitressing. I'll pay for whatever we do."

He cast his eyes to the sky and shook his head. "You're not gonna leave me alone until I say yes, are you?"

"You got it."

* * *

"Aki?" Daniel asked once the glowing red letters warning them they were approaching MARIO'S came into view.

"Yes?"

"Don't you think maybe you're a little overdressed for a place like this?"

"No, what makes you think that?" she replied. She'd gone home and come back wearing a frilly blue dress that looked a lot like the one his prom date had worn, with matching open-toe high heels.

"Because this is a pizza and pasta place, not dinner with the queen."

Aki smiled and patted his cheek. "Look, this is to impress my parents, right? It looked better leaving the house like this instead of blue jeans."

"I'm starting to see why Thebes calls you Star of Freedom…"

Aki shrugged but her smile didn't waver. "I'm a free spirit, sue me."

"At least you know what your deal is," Daniel mumbled then led Aki inside in case she heard.

A wave of spicy aromas assaulted their nostrils the moment they walked in. Even though it was the middle of the week, Mario's was packed. Most of the patrons appeared to be college kids, some of whom Daniel had seen in passing or on the other side of a classroom a few times. Harried-looking waiters scurried around carrying massive platters of faux Italian cuisine while impatient customers asked for checks or fresh napkins.

Yet it only took Daniel a minute to spot three familiar faces amid the chaos. He took Aki's wrist and led her over to the booth where Johnny, Steve and Annie were half-yelling to hear each other over everyone else. It sounded to Daniel like Johnny was griping how Annie and Steve had beaten him unfairly at the new game after the power had come back. They fell silent as Daniel and Aki sidled up to the front of their table.

"Who is _that_?" Steve asked immediately. Annie punched him in the shoulder. "I mean, who's your friend?" he tried again.

"Guys, this is Akiko," Daniel introduced her.

"Aki," she corrected him pointedly.

"Well sit down, sit down!" Annie said and the two squeezed in beside Johnny. "You didn't say you were bringing anybody else, Daniel. Where's she from?"

"Well…Johnny was kind of right," Daniel replied. "That time I got kidnapped I met Aki. Except she was the one who ended up saving me."

"Don't be so modest, kid. You were kicking butt back then too," Aki smiled.

"So you two have been going out since then?" Steve asked amicably.

"Since today," Aki answered, smiling. "I finally talked him into it."

"I haven't seen you around, you going to Armstrong?" Johnny asked.

"No…I'm in my last year but I got a scholarship to any school I want, so I'm probably gonna apply, yeah."

"My kind of girl," Johnny grinned. Daniel was about to shoot him a withering glance but Aki just raised an eyebrow and the remark seemed to slide right off her.

"Look, let's order before they kick us out, huh?" Annie suggested and held up her menu.

Daniel looked at his without really looking. Aki had barely met the others and she was already right at home. He realized he was surprised for some reason, even though he never saw her outside of Stellarman stuff. Now that he thought about it, though, she did seem like the one most able to enjoy herself socially. Bohdi was so withdrawn, and Caitlin always seemed tense, even when nothing was happening. As for Cliff…well, hopefully _something_ besides punching a monster's face in made him happy.

Just like that afternoon, Daniel was starting to feel like the odd one out. That didn't make any sense, did it? He'd known the three of them for months and they hung out all the time. At least they had until he'd accepted leadership of Stellarman, he reminded himself.

Was that the problem? Now that he knew he wasn't alone, did he feel distanced from the people without Starlight of their own?

Uncalled for, the words Vayon had said in his dream came to mind, "You'll understand our goals are the same soon enough."

The streets were dark by the time Daniel, Aki and the others trickled out of Mario's.

"Well guys, I need to walk this off," Annie said. "I'll see you later. Nice meeting you, Aki."

Aki smiled and waved politely as Annie turned and started the long walk back to campus. Steve made to follow and Johnny was about to do the same but suddenly leaned over and whispered to Daniel, "Give her my number if it doesn't work out, 'kay?"

"What would Miss Rollins say if she heard you talkin' like that?" Daniel chided.

Johnny melodramatically clutched his heart like Daniel had shot him through it and sauntered away with a grin on his face. Daniel shook his head but looked up when he felt a set of feminine fingers lace through his. Aki gently led him the other way, smiling gently looking upward at the half-moon just visible over the roofs of the midtown storefronts. They walked in silence for a minute, until Daniel was sure his friends were out of earshot, then spoke up.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, kid," Aki replied with her eyes still on the moon.

"You got a scholarship to _anywhere?_"

"I know, I don't seem like the honor roll type, do I? We all do."

"We?"

Aki tilted her head at him. "Yeah. You, me, Cliff, Catie…"

Daniel clenched his teeth. "Thebes might've mentioned that when she asked me to join," he whispered irritably.

"Hey," Aki tapped him on the shoulder. "Let me ask you one. When we went in you said something like, 'at least you know your deal.' What did you mean?"

Daniel sighed. "I meant you know where your place is. What you're trying to do. I haven't known what I'm doing since I moved in with my uncle."

"You mentioned that before, I think. Why did you leave home, anyway?"

"You don't get two questions in a row," Daniel replied with a smile, then stopped. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Aki asked, but even as she did there was a distant but noticeable rumble. Then another, closer, stronger. Following another, an enormous shape came into view above the Cape Lombard skyline. It was just a black silhouette, but the J-shaped armatures protruding upward from the shoulders were all too familiar. By the time it had fired a disc from either palm and two buildings started to rumble Daniel's Stellphone was already in his hand.

"Ptolemic Machines, launch!"

The buildings protested for another second then were pulled from their moorings and smashed together in midair. Pieces of concrete were sent flying for blocks.

"Let's go," Daniel said and raised his ring. "Cosmic Evolution!"

The world turned red and blue, and the next thing they knew they were sitting in the familiar cockpits of their Ptolemic Machines. They were at the edge of Cape Lombard, and had no trouble spotting Prox Polar as he caused another pair of buildings to smash each other to bits. Beside them were the other vehicles, and after a second there was a hum on the communicator.

"StellarBlack, reporting in," Bohdi said.

"StellarPink, reporting in," Caitlin echoed. "StellarYellow here," Cliff finished, sounding ready for action as usual.

"Engage. I'll follow you in a second," Daniel ordered them.

"There won't be any left for you by then," Cliff replied and swooped at Prox Polar, slashing the monster with Eagle's razor-sharp wings. Hydra and Fox charged after it while Daniel's hands flew across his control panel trying to hail the base.

"Sol Dome, answer me, this is StellarRed. I need you to monitor the city and alert me at once if you detect anything strange. Answer!"

"Red," Valentine's synthesized voice could barely be heard through a cloud of static. "We'll try, but there's a massive amount of--" The transmission was swallowed entirely by static whine. Daniel thumped his fist against the panel in irritation. Had Proxordo found a way to interfere with their communications again, or was it something to with all the magnetism the monster was using? He looked up to see Hydra and Lizard clang together from a pair of magnetic discs and Prox Polar taking aim at Cliff's robot next. There was no time to wonder.

"Star Cross!" Daniel yelled. Wolf charged, howling defiantly at the monster just before he could squeeze off a shot at Eagle. The Ptolemic Machines responded automatically, flying upward ablaze with Starlight. The discs pulling Hydra and Lizard together flaked away to nothing within the Starlight cloud engulfing the constellation mecha. As it had before, Wolf folded and reconfigured itself into a humanoid torso, Fox and Lizard folded up and attached as legs, Eagle lodged into Wolf's back, revealing a silver face, and Hydra attached to its shoulders and the serpent's central head closed over the one atop the gestalt's shoulders, forming a helmet.

"Roaring Sentinel, StellarSavage!" The robot warrior did indeed roar, the ground at is feet exploding with runoff Starlight from the combination process. Prox Polar turned to face his opponent, but made no sound to as he did, which only made Daniel's stomach tighten even further.

"Take him down fast as we can!" Daniel barked.

"Understood," Bohdi replied. Prox Polar was taking aim with its hand launchers but StellarSavage hurled itself at him, repeatedly raking its claws across the monster's forearms. All of a sudden panels popped open on Prox Polar's shoulders and from them sprang six-barreled cannons that bombarded StellarSavage with discs. It prepared to claw him again, but its arms were dragged backward and a second later Stellarman could hear metal groaning.

"What's going on?" Aki asked nervously.

"What color are the discs on the right arm?" Daniel demanded.

"Um…red!" Caitlin replied.

"And left?"

"Red," Cliff said. "Why, this some kind of vanity--"

"The magnetism from those discs is the same polarity!" Daniel cut him off. "It's trying to rip the robot apart!"

"Hurry up, you apes!" Haikoga said, almost spitting out the last word. The Risen he'd grudgingly brought with were kneeling around a shall patch of soft earth in a vacant lot. Each Risen held a red crystal shard in hand and dropped it onto the ground where the shard immediately vanished from sight. A few seconds later the ground started to ripple and a crystal pillar lanced up until it stood nearly eight feet high and crackled faintly.

"This is it, sir!" one of the Risen beamed. "This is the beginning of Stellarman's revelation!"

"Shut up," was all Haikoga had to say.

The Risen was so surprised her metal jaw dropped. "But sir--"

"But nothing. We've planted the receptacle, now we sit and wait like good little soldiers to make sure nothing happens to it."

Haikoga jumped on top of a nearby car, not noticing at all as his heavy tail caved in the hood. He looked upward at Prox Polar gleefully but silently battering SterllarSavage, its great metal arms held wide as if inviting Prox Polar's abuse. A hammer-blow smacked StellarSavage's head sickeningly to one side and Haikoga could only shake his own head.

He hated to admit it, even to himself, but perhaps Vayon was onto something with his pursuit of those children. No matter what he sent their way, no matter how many times they were slammed, slashed, blasted or nearly incinerated, they came back every time, meeting Proxordo with all their force. He pondered what Vayon would do if Stellarman were to suddenly lay down their arms. What the rest of this pitiful species would do if Stellarman wasn't there, or what would happen if they fell at the hands of that mute monstrosity.

He shook his head again, a trace of a weary smile on his reptilian lips. No wonder these humans were always in search of salvation. The world they built themselves overflowed with confusion and overcomplication.

He jumped down to supervise the watch over the crystal pillar.

Prox Polar blasted a barrage of blue discs from the cannons sprouting from its shoulders, peppering the area around where StellarSavage hovered helplessly. Within seconds the robot was pelted by whatever the discs had landed on; mostly cars, but streetlights, trees, even ragged hunks of adjacent buildings.

"Serpent Salvo!" Bohdi called but Hydra's heads were covered in the discs and wouldn't swivel forward to fire.

StellarSavage jerked and spewed sparks with each impact until it toppled into a building that was already starting to sag thanks to losing the pieces that battered the robot into it.

The robot's arms and legs creaked alarmingly, cracks forming in the metal. "Got any brilliant ideas?" Cliff asked.

"Yeah, but it's a hell of a risk," Daniel answered.

Monitors all over the cockpit started blinking with the word DANGER in blazing red letters. "It can't be any worse than this, kid," Aki said.

"We'll have to try a double Claw Driver."

StellarSavage's cockpit fell silent except for the sound of warning klaxons and whine of metal. "Do you really think we can do it, Daniel?" Caitlin asked quietly.

He nodded slowly. Cautiously, one might have thought. "It'll be a strain to keep that much power under control, but if we don't we'll definitely lose StellarSavage."

No one said a thing. The protesting metal of StellarSavage's limbs was loud enough. Daniel reached out and grasped his controls and hesitantly the others followed suit. Daniel didn't need to look over to know they were bracing themselves.

"Double Driver!" Daniel yelled at the top of his lungs. The robot trembled more forcefully as power coursed through it. Its outstretched hands started revolving, glowing ever so faintly with the energy of its ultimate attack. Daniel clenched the controls as all of a sudden he felt an almost paralyzing pain grip his body. He heard Caitlin let out half a wail and out of the corner of his visor saw Aki shoot him a sidelong glance. He wished for a second she wasn't masked so he could read her face, but the strain forced his attention back to the job at hand.

StellarSavage's body pulsed with power as the claws started picking up speed. Prox Polar's shoulder cannons fired deafeningly but a sheath of white light enveloped Stellarman's giant warrior. The discs pulling at its limbs crumbled to dust and the new ones flying toward StellarSavage crumbled as well seconds before the fully-charged robot blasted toward Prox Polar. Both of its hands had become white spikes that it almost eagerly plunged into the monster's chest.

Inside StellarSavage's cockpit, it was all Daniel could do to keep a grip on his controls. Wild Starlight arced along his arms and hands as he poured all his concentration into keeping the flow of power steady. He slumped forward for a second and nearly blacked out from the stress, but someone's hand grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him upright again. StellarSavage quivered violently until a Y-shaped crack appeared in the windscreen.

As the whirring spikes bored through Prox Polar, something nagged at the back of his mind that been there since the beginning of this battle. Why had the monster not said a word through all this fighting, now and before? As he stumbled away from StellarSavage, two massive circular holes gouged through his chest, why didn't he fire off a self-righteous line about how though he might fall, Proxordo's cause was unstoppable? Instead he fell and exploded in a conflagration of fiery energy, scorching the sides of adjacent buildings.

With trembling hands, Stellarman released the robot's controls. Its sheath of Starlight faded and its claws slowed until they were still once again. "That was close," Aki said, heaving a sigh.

"It's not over," Daniel said grimly.

"What are you talking about kid?" she said, but then saw it for herself. The mass of energy released at the monster's demise hadn't dispersed, it roiled in front of them before suddenly blasting upward into the sky where it arced off in three different directions.

On the fringes of town Haikoga dashed out of the way as one bolt slammed into the crystal pillar his underlings has created. It was wreathed with flaming halos and thrummed ominously, but Haikoga didn't need to hang around to see what would happen. He and his entourage swiftly deformed into spheres of light and flew out of the city in the blink of an eye, just before the crystal pillar exploded and a mammoth figure erupted from it.

Over the Cape Lombard rooftops, Stellarman saw a shape the equal of StellarSavage in size suddenly appear. "Another monster?" Caitlin asked.

"No, two monsters," Bohdi replied, pointing out a second blip on the radar screen by his side.

"Try three, guys…" Aki whispered.

Indeed, three Truthcraft loomed over the Cape Lombard skyline. The first was thin and wiry, with vicious-looking circular blades mounted on his forearms, while the second was a hulking brute with enormously oversized arms and fists. The third had long spikes in place of hands and an impassive expression on his face. After the monster they had just fought Daniel couldn't help feeling a chill race up his spine. The three slowly started to close in on StellarSavage.

"Guys," Daniel said, "get ready for the fight of our lives…"


	9. Phase 9: Torn Crimson

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 9: Torn Crimson

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

The three Truthcraft approached StellarSavage in encroaching circles, the ones with blades and the extra-large arms chuckling to themselves as they closed in. The third aimed his hands toward the ground and simply watched StellarSavage silently, waiting for an opening.

Suddenly the bladed one sprinted past StellarSavage. "Dash Cutter!" The blades on his arms whistled past, slicing huge gashes into the robot's torso.

"Quick, Claw Driver!" Daniel ordered but just as StellarSavage started to power up again the second monster threw his gigantic arms around it, pinning the robot's arms to its sides, and squeezed. StellarSavage's already abused arms creaked, then with a terrible crack the left arm fell limp. The monster laughed and hurled StellarSavage to the ground.

Daniel was just starting to see straight again when he heard a calm but booming voice intone, "Blast Swarm." The third monster aimed the spikes sprouting from his forearms at StellarSavage, then they split in two vertically and within seconds the air was full of cone-shaped projectiles. They latched onto StellarSavage's metal skin and for a second panic gripped Daniel at the thought of another magnetic monster tearing the robot to pieces.

The reality wasn't much more reassuring.

A beeping sound filled the air then rapidly increased speed. It was replaced by a high-pitched whine, then explosion after explosion wracked StellarSavage's body. Everything turned white…

…and the next thing he knew, he saw what looked an awful lot like the roof of Sol Dome's hangar through StellarSavage's cracked windscreen.

"What the hell happened?" he wondered breathlessly.

"Stellarman, are you all right?!" a voice crackled over the robot's communicator. It took him a second to recognize it as Commander Thebes.

"Everybody all right?" Daniel echoed.

Bohdi was the first to answer. "I've lived through a lot worse."

"Fine," Cliff answered tersely.

"Just surprised," was Caitlin's reply.

Aki just nodded as she wrestled with the wheel to open the hatch out of the cockpit, allowing them to scuttle out one by one.

As soon as their feet were back on solid ground, a burst of multi-colored light filled the hangar and Stellarman was gone, five teenagers having taken their place once again.

"Commander," Daniel began, "would you please explain how we got here, so I know I'm not really talking to Saint Peter?"

"Are you calling me an angel, Daniel?" she half-smirked. "The SDA has an emergency teleportation system that we used to pull you to safety. Unfortunately, it's going to take even longer to get it working again than it will to fix StellarSavage." She eyed the sizzling metal mass behind them. Immediately technicians on a gantry above them lowered a pair of hooks under the robot's arms and pulled it upright. Others were lighting acetylene torches and donning safety gear as they prepared for a long night.

A few minutes later Thebes had led the team into Sol Dome's monitor room. "Valentine, give us a view of Cape Lombard," she ordered, wasting no time.

"Right away, Commander," the robot replied, her fingers flying over a row of buttons until the main screen showed them an aerial view of Cape Lombard. Even though the five of them were badly shaken from what they'd just been through, not a one wasn't shocked by what they saw.

"They're…just standing around!" Cliff exclaimed.

It was true, with their giant sparring partner gone, the three Truthcraft stood around like statues, doing nothing more threatening than blocking streets with their enormous feet.

"Commander," Valentine interrupted. "I'm detecting a transmission of some sort. The Truthcraft seem to be picking it up."

"Can you pick it up here?"

Valentine pressed almost feverishly at buttons and twisted dials, her metal fingers telescoping outward to reach the far ends of the console without requiring her to move, but as she tried to tune in to whatever the monsters were hearing, all of a sudden they started to shimmer, then contract and shoot downward. Within seconds they were lost from sight.

"Are they retreating?" Caitlin spoke up.

"No," Thebes said. "They're switching to Plan B."

"What?"

"It was a trap," Thebes explained. "When the magnet monster died, some kind of trigger was activated and it summoned those three other monsters. Since you got away, they're pulling out to do whatever Vayon really sent them to do. Probably something worse than a robot fight."

"Why not just send three monsters?" Aki wondered aloud.

"Because that first one's job was probably just to soften us up as much as he could before we took him out," Bohdi offered, then sighed. "Vayon got us good this time…"

"Yeah, well I'm gonna get out there and start getting him back," Daniel said.

"Oh no you're not," Thebes said sharply. "Those monsters fought like a team and now we've got nothing to fight them with if they grow. No one's going out there and getting themselves killed until we have a better idea of what we're dealing with."

"Meaning what, Commander?" Daniel asked tonelessly.

"Meaning until we at least have a timeframe on StellarSavage's repairs, the five of you are confined to base."

"You've got to be kidding!" Aki snapped. "I'm supposed to be home by eleven!"

"I think you've got an airtight excuse, personally," Thebes said. "Look, team, I'm not enjoying doing this to you, but we're in a bad position right now and I don't intend to make it worse by blindly rushing after those things. Just give me a little time, okay?"

Bohdi pushed open the door to Sol Dome's gym and let himself in. He wasn't surprised to find the rows of weight machines and exercise bikes empty--it was just after midnight, after all--but beyond them he found what he was looking for. Daniel was doing sit-ups on a mat by the wall.

"Are you like this all the time, Daniel?" he asked as leaned against the wall.

Daniel finished another rep and stood up. "Lately I'm starting to wonder. I used to have a social life…Maybe I'll see if Thebes actually had those old arcade games brought up to the lounge yet."

"I think that's where Cliff and Aki are. Daniel, what do you think Vayon's up to? I mean…I think I've learned a lot about people since I got to Earth, but his actions just don't make sense."

"Bohdi, I'm as confused as you are. He said the way he sees the world is different since he got his powers, maybe he thinks it's the same way for us, or something," Daniel replied with a shrug. "I don't think the way I see the world is different from anybody I know, but we've always had our powers, something happened to give him his, so who knows? If you want my honest opinion, though, he's trying to scare us into helping him by showing how much stronger he is than us."

"Except he didn't reckon on us being as powerful as those monsters of his," Bohdi nodded. "So he stacked the deck against us."

"Hey, Bohdi," Daniel said and dropped a hand onto the alien's shoulder. For the first time Bohdi noticed how much calmer Daniel sounded than he had in the monitor room. "I know there's three monsters out there, but we'll figure something out. I'm not gonna let someone as crazy as Vayon do the world any favors. This just proves no matter how noble the things he says are, he's not above doing whatever he needs to make things happen the way he wants."

The big alien smiled tiredly. "You're right. The universe doesn't need another Chahi."

"Look, let's go see what the others are doing, huh?" Daniel suggested. "I don't think tonight's gonna be a good one for sleep."

"Me either."

The two caught an elevator to the mid-levels of the base. The halls were as empty as the gym. The nightshift were mostly busy with monitoring Cape Lombard for any signs of the new monsters and getting StellarSavage fixed as quickly as possible. When they strolled into the lounge the only people there were a few technicians taking a desperately needed coffee break before returning to the hangar, and Cliff and Aki standing in front of a videogame cabinet in a row of same. Daniel could just make out two colorful dinosaur creatures spraying bubbles from their mouths before the two noticed them.

"Hey kid, want to play after Cliff loses his last quarter?" Aki smiled, but it was easy to see from her drooping eyelids the day was catching up with her. "Should be any minute now."

"You wish," Cliff sneered.

"That's not my game," Daniel said. "Where's Catie?"

"Sleeping," said Aki.

"She's the smart one," Daniel said wearily.

"Is she?" Bohdi asked. "We should at least be going over what happened and planning for next time."

"Go over what, man? We were fighting those things for thirty seconds before Thebes pulled us out," Daniel said. "Only that one with the bombs had any surprises we had time to see."

"Still, if we--" Bohdi began before the intercom hissed into activity.

"Stellarman, report to the monitor room at once," the voice of Commander Thebes ordered.

"You heard her," Daniel said. "Let's go."

"Aye aye, cap'n," Cliff saluted.

A minute later they were in the monitor room again where Valentine was observing the input from a dozen different screens showing different views of StellarSavage under repair. Every so often she'd spout orders of a mechanical nature into a microphone extending from either ear. Commander Thebes was sitting in a chair watching a separate monitor. Infuriatingly, she didn't look the least bit tired.

"What's wrong with her? Aren't we the ones with super powers?" Cliff whispered.

"Maybe she gets up at night," Daniel muttered before walking over. "Commander, you called?"

"I did. Thank you for being prompt," she said, either not noticing or ignoring Caitlin's absence. "I've spoken to the maintenance personnel and it sounds like working around the clock, we can expect StellarSavage to be online again in around sixteen hours."

"Commander, I certainly hope you're not planning on confining us to base until it is…?" Bohdi asked.

"No, but that doesn't you're being released yet. There's still those three--"

"Commander?" Valentine interrupted in that unnervingly calm of hers. "We're getting a feed from town. You'll want to see this."

She flicked a few switches and the central screen in front of her changed from a view of the hangar to another that made Daniel's blood run cold. They could see a plaza where the three monsters had gathered. They stood silently but looked poised to attack at a moment's notice, and the transparent image hovering above them gave Stellarman no cause to doubt they might: it was Vayon himself. He seemed to be staring directly at them as he spoke.

"Greetings, people of Cape Lombard, on this fine morning. As all of you are no doubt aware, emissaries of mine have battled the group calling itself Cosmic Squadron Stellarman several times within the confines of your city. The skeptical have, I'm sure, wondered why one such as myself who claims to be motivated by the greatest good would engage in open warfare.

"The answer is regrettable, but simple. The old order must fall if a new order is to rise. I have opened my city to those who wish to make a difference, including the members of Stellarman. However, the recruiting phase of my mission is at an end. Join me, Stellarman, this is your last chance. You have proven powerful, and your powers would be a welcome addition to our cause, but in the end you'll see you're no match for Proxordo. We will wait an hour, then this city of yours will be razed to the ground. Do not think there's any other way out of this." His piece apparently said, Vayon's image vanished.

"Commander, your orders?" Valentine prompted gently. Commander Thebes sighed testily.

"Someone wake up Caitlin, and keep an eye on those things in the meantime!" Commander Thebes said.

"I certainly hope you're not suggesting we take those things on directly after what they did to StellarSavage, Commander," Bohdi said quietly.

"Why not?" Cliff demanded. "They snuck up on us last time. This time we'll do it to them. They're just more of Vayon's stupid monsters."

"You sound awfully sure of that, Cliff," Daniel said.

"And you think different?"

"Think about what he said, Cliff. He's entering another phase of his operation. No wonder that magnet monster didn't rant about his cause at all."

"Daniel's right," Commander Thebes affirmed. "This is going to be the toughest thing you've ever had to face."

"So we do attack, Commander?" Bohdi asked, looking crestfallen.

"Not yet," she replied. "Valentine, see if there are any techs you can spare to start work on that new project Dr. Lawrence designed. And get a map of that spot where those monsters are. Find all possible ways in and out."

Cliff snuck out to rouse his sister while Commander Thebes continued rattling off a list of things for Valentine to do. Aki sighed and found an unoccupied stretch of wall to lean against. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I wasn't hoping the date would last this long. How about you, kid?" she said. "Kid?"

There was no answer. She surveyed the room again and realized Daniel was gone. Bohdi, Thebes and Valentine were there, but he had vanished. The only sign of his absence was a soft hiss of air as the door closed again.

* * *

People peered nervously out windows, and to their dismay the three Truthcraft were still there. For nearly an hour they'd been like statues, not moving, not even talking amongst themselves. For those watching them, the waiting in silence was worse then if the monsters were running wild in the streets…

All at once the monster with bladed arms turned his head slightly, his weapons spinning to life.

"What is it, Cutter?" the one with spikes for hands asked.

"I heard something, Countdown," he replied. "Whoever's there, show yourself or say your goodbyes to this world!"

"Promise?" asked a flippant voice before its owner stepped out of an alley. It was StellarRed, but he had his hands up and his weapons were holstered.

"Where are the rest of you?" Prox Countdown demanded.

"Just me," Daniel replied. "I came to talk truce."

"Truce?!" the third monster laughed and clanged his enormous arms together.

"That's enough, Dozer. We're not the problem, remember?" Prox Countdown silenced him and turned to Daniel. "Why have you come alone, Stellarman?"

"I figured maybe we could negotiate something. They didn't, so I snuck out when no one was looking."

"Not much of a team player, then, are you? Why should we want to waste our on time on you, then?"

"They've been together a long time. They got history. Me? I was only there a few weeks. Besides, it was your boss who said the offer was still open. If you guys promise no dissections this time, I'll think about playing for your team."

"Realizing you're not so tough without your robot, are you?" Prox Countdown grinned an unsettling grin. "Come on, Master Vayon told us what to do with you."

Prox Countdown led the way out of the street while Dozer and Cutter stood on either side of Daniel, eying him suspiciously. He jogged after Prox Countdown who led him through a series of alleys and side streets until the approached a dead end. Immediately a harsh buzzing sensation formed at the back of Daniel's head, but he tried as hard as he could not to let on.

"Open it," Prox Countdown ordered simply, and Prox Dozer stepped forward and slammed one fist against the ground. Pieces of asphalt shot up in all directions but Daniel ignored the hunk of rock that bounced off his arm. Buried in the ground was a glowing yellow disc, just large enough or a person to stand on. Engraved in the center was a pulsating "P" symbol.

"Get on it," Prox Countdown growled.

"How do I know this ain't gonna fry me?" Daniel replied.

"You want us to trust you, human, you trust us first." Prox Countdown swatted him with a long spike and Daniel staggered onto the disc. Immediately the world around him was swallowed by a curtain of billowing energy. Fire, that was what it looked like. The buzzing at the back of his head doubled but before he could even react it was gone. The energy around him was gone. He was still standing on a yellow disc, but the monsters were gone as well.

Hell, the buildings were gone, Daniel realized as he spotted actual night sky all around him. He noticed he was on top of a skyscraper in the middle of town, and he had a feeling he wasn't alone…

"We meet again, StellarRed," said a disturbingly familiar voice. Daniel whirled around to find himself face to face with Amro Vayon. As always he was clad in his golden armor, but this time his helmet was in place and he made no move to take it off. "I had a feeling if anyone responded to my message, it would be you."

"You have a lot of feelings like that, I bet."

Vayon laughed at that. A long, loud laugh. "Too true, my young friend, too true. I was right about you, though, wasn't I? You haven't had time to settle down roots in that team of yours. They haven't had time to fill your head with all sorts of stories about what a madman I must be to declare war on the entire world, have they? No, oh no…you're still able to see the truth." He pronounced the last word much softer than he had when Daniel had heard him say it before.

"I guess I am. Like you're not as powerful as you pretend."

"Oh? Is that so?" Vayon said with a hint of amusement.

"Yeah. You didn't hide that whole city while you were building it. Not all by yourself, anyway. You probably want me to think you made it fly off under your power too, but you didn't. You want people to think you're all-powerful so they'll sign up for your little cult, but you're not."

"And what makes you so sure of that, young one?"

"When you told us not to bring our robots there, that was a pretty good clue," Daniel said. "You didn't know if we were stronger than you, and you were worried we might be with StellarSavage. And tonight, when three of your freaks showed up after we killed the first one…you set it up to make sure we'd use all of our power against him, and set off whatever trigger that summoned those things. That was our power that brought those three monsters here, not yours."

"You're right and wrong," Vayon said with a bit of a laugh but mixed with something that almost sounded like respect. "It's true Haven was kept hidden during its construction more by the magic of modern technology than my divine will. And you figured out my little trick from tonight. Yes, it's true my personal power isn't all I pretend.

"However, make no mistake, the Fire of Truth is everything I've made it out to be. I arranged for it to power those machines that allowed Haven to remain unseen by this diseased world. It was a painstaking process, but effective, you can't deny. And yes, I relied principally on the power of that monstrous robot of yours to bring multiple Truthcraft forth, but that only proves what the Fires can do coupled with cunning.

"Just because I haven't yet the ability to wipe away the stains on this world with a wave of my hand doesn't diminish the unlimited power of the Fire. Every day my ability to channel it grows. And if you think you'd defeat me in a contest of raw power, even now…" He hefted his staff and leveled the tip at Daniel's chest. "…you are sorely mistaken.

"Now, StellarRed, the question remains…will you continue to fight me, or do you finally understand that this civilization must burn so a purer one can grow in its place?"

* * *

Aki's knuckles were nearly white from her grip on the Advancer's steering wheel, weaving the vehicle in and out of early morning traffic with losing any of the dangerous velocity she'd achieved.

"I don't believe it…what was that idiot thinking?" Cliff muttered. "That he could beat all those monsters himself? That maybe they'd go away if he asked nice? Tch! Those guys are nuts, all they wanna do is kill everyone who's not like them."

"That's enough, Cliff," Bohdi interrupted him. "I'm sure Daniel had his reasons for sneaking out. The important thing is that we find him before Proxordo."

"If he's gonna disappear at a time like this, we're better off without him…"

"Zip it, Cliff," Caitlin said sharply, making no effort to hide the irritation her fatigue was fueling. He recoiled in surprise and might even have jumped back if he'd had the room.

"There, that's gotta be it," Aki as she pointed upward. Peering through the windscreen they could see occasional flashes of red light erupt from the top of a nearby skyscraper.

"Let's hope he can take care of himself until we get there…" Bohdi said but was interrupted by a sudden, deafening *BOOM*. The Advancer rocked but Aki stepped hard on the accelerator and sped away.

"What was that?!" Caitlin gasped.

"Want to bet it was the monsters?" Aki snapped back.

"Cool it!" Bohdi barked. "Pull into that parking garage!"

Aki saluted and aimed the Advancer at the entrance. She was speeding up again when suddenly the vehicle stopped in midair. It shook and whined before suddenly tumbling end over end, landing on top of a parked car. Peeling herself off Bohdi's lap she spotted Prox Dozer approaching them with a confident leer.


	10. Phase 10: Interlude

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 10: Interlude

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

What was I going to do when I came? I was going to try to talk with the monsters, how the hell did I end up face to face with the leader of this pack of militant hippies again? Daniel wondered as he stared down the tip of Vayon's brandished weapon. If they were in a movie he was sure it would've been raining.

"What'll it be, young man?" Vayon prodded, both with words and his staff. "Are you finally deciding to be part of the solution, or do you still intend to be here when this precious city of yours falls?"

"You're not making this easy on me, are you?"

"Why should I? The decision to make a difference isn't easy, no matter what those damn fools on television would have you believe."

All of a sudden that harsh buzzing that had formed at the back of Daniel's head when he'd gotten near where the disc was hidden returned. It had something to do with the Fire, that had to be it. When there was enough, he could somehow feel it.

"Ah, I see," Vayon said to the empty air, then turned to Daniel. "I'm sorry, StellarRed, I'm afraid the discussion is closed." At this flames shot from his staff and surrounded Daniel. Small jets of the alien energy jumped and traced along his arms and legs, and Daniel screamed as he felt it seeping into his body. The pain increased as he realized his Starlight was trying to force Vayon's Fire out again. He collapsed to his knees, and when he looked up he saw Vayon looking at him with what Daniel hoped was only disappointment.

"Oh," Vayon said. "Stronger than I thought." He leveled his staff at Daniel once again and another cloud of Fire gushed at Daniel. He thrust his hands outward, channeling every bit of Starlight he had into his outstretched hands. The Fire split in two as it collided with the round shield that formed at Daniel's hands. He strained with all his might, extending the shield through the Fire.

"You'll be a valuable asset, StellarRed," Vayon said, then the Fire intensified and Daniel was blasted clear of the ground. Just before he blacked out, Daniel felt himself falling.

* * *

Aki's knuckles were nearly white from her grip on the Advancer's steering wheel, weaving the vehicle in and out of early morning traffic with losing any of the dangerous velocity she'd achieved.

"I don't believe it. What was that idiot thinking?" Cliff muttered. "That he could beat all those monsters himself? That maybe they'd go away if he asked nice? Tch! Those guys are nuts, all they wanna do is kill everyone who's not like them."

"That's enough, Cliff," Bohdi interrupted him. "I'm sure Daniel had his reasons for sneaking out. The important thing is that we find him before Proxordo."

"If he's gonna disappear at a time like this, we're better off without him."

"Zip it, Cliff," Caitlin said sharply, making no effort to hide the irritation her fatigue was fueling. He recoiled in surprise and might even have jumped back if he'd had the room.

"There, that's gotta be it," Aki as she pointed upward. Peering through the windscreen they could see red light erupt from the top of a nearby skyscraper.

"Let's hope he can take care of himself until we get there…" Bohdi said but was interrupted by a sudden, deafening *BOOM* and concrete pelting the rear of the vehicle. The Advancer rocked but Aki stepped hard on the accelerator and sped away.

"What was that?!" Caitlin gasped.

"Want to bet it was the monsters?" Aki snapped back.

"Cool it!" Bohdi barked. "Pull into that parking garage!"

Aki saluted and aimed the Advancer at the entrance. She was speeding up again when suddenly the vehicle stopped in midair. It shook and whined before suddenly tumbling end over end, landing on top of a parked car. Peeling herself off Bohdi's lap she spotted Prox Dozer approaching them with a confident leer.

"This time, you're mine," Cliff said. "Cosmic Evolution!" He threw open the door and charged the monster.

"Cliff, you idiot! What do you think you're--" Caitlin started to snap, but Aki prodded her shoulder.

"Look, we came to find Daniel, right? If the monsters don't know where he is, who would?"

"She's right, Catie," Bohdi added. "I have a feeling Cliff's going to need help anyway."

Prox Dozer ripped a hunk of concrete the size out of a car out of the ground and threw it with all his considerable might at Cliff. "Grav-Hammer!" Cliff shouted and in a flash of yellow light his favorite weapon was in his hands. He swatted the rock back at Prox Dozer who laughed and slapped it into the side of a building thirty stories up.

"We're ready for you freaks this time!" Cliff roared.

"You really think that'll make a difference, don't you?

"Numbers ain't on your side this time!" Cliff retorted as his teammates gathered at his side. Bohdi cracked his whip, Aki brandished her double scimitars and Caitlin readied her boomerang to throw. "Tell us where Red is before I smash you like a pop can!"

The monster threw back his head and let out a loud, spiteful laugh. "Come on! See what good it does you!"

Stellarman dashed forward. Cliff and Aki swung their weapons at the monster's arms while Bohdi lashed his whip across his face. Prox Dozer knocked the three of them out of the way with his enormous arms but even as he did Caitlin's Arc Blader came whistling through the air and buried itself in his shoulder. Prox Dozer's eyes opened wide in surprise, then the Arc Blader exploded with pink Starlight. He yowled and staggered back a few steps. A smoking crack was left where the Arc Blader had been lodged.

"Go for the opening!" Aki called. She lunged and embedded her Dual Calibur in the break in Prox Dozer's armor. Cliff hammered at the monster's shoulder while Bohdi lashed his whip into the gap repeatedly. Prox Dozer groaned and sank to his knees.

"Now!" Bohdi called. The four gathered in front of Prox Dozer and drew their guns. "Trigger Fury!" They fired. Their beams twisted together into a ball of swirling colors in flight. All of a sudden Prox Dozer reached out and smashed the ball into oblivion.

With his wounded arm.

"You…pitiful...little…humans!" he laughed as he rose to his full height. "That was only one layer of my armor. I'm not like the Truthcraft you've fought before!" He thrust his firsts into the ground and ripped up a twenty-foot hunk of street. The hunk Stellarman was standing on. They landed in a heap, then Prox Dozer brought the piece of street down on top of them.

"Be glad it's just me, Stellarman. You wouldn't even have gotten to try that boomerang trick of yours…"

* * *

A pulse.

He sat up in surprise. Power. Of a degree he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

He walked to the edge of the hill where he'd camped out the night before and assumed the lotus position. A bit cliché, but his senses were sharper when he shut out all else.

He reached out, trying to feel whatever had touched his senses a second ago, and after a minute he felt it again. To the southeast. That would mean the source was in Florida. Around…Cape Lombard.

Cape Lombard. He hadn't been there in a long time. It'd been even longer since he'd had a reason to.

The power was ebbing, so he let his senses retract to where his body rested. He rose and looked out to the lights of the city in the distance. He didn't know its name or anyone who lived in it. He hadn't wanted to be part of civilization for a while, but maybe…maybe it was time for a change.

* * *

Prox Dozer grabbed Bohdi and threw the black-clad alien as far as he could. He was reaching down for Caitlin but she rolled out of his reach before vaulting over his head. As she flipped over him she drummed her boots against the crack in his shoulder but Prox Dozer only laughed.

"All four of you couldn't crack it open!" he said before swatting her away like a fly. Cliff screamed as he swung the Grav-Hammer at Prox Dozer who easily caught the head with one hand and smacked Cliff aside with the other. "And what about you, blue?" he sneered at Aki.

"Dozer! What do you think you're doing??" a voice cut the air. Aki and Prox Dozer both looked up and saw the other two monsters running towards them.

"I saw them driving by, what was I supposed to do?" Prox Dozer protested. "I was getting to it, Countdown."

"You bloody idiot…" Countdown shook his head. "How many times did I tell you to stick to the plan?!"

"Who needs a plan when we can finish them off now?!" Dozer snarled back.

"Cutter, entertain the others. Apparently I've got to personally make sure Dozer does what he was _created_ for…"

"My pleasure," Prox Cutter said. Prox Countdown and Dozer disappeared behind a curtain of Fire. "You know, Prox Dozer is a dumb brute, but he is onto something. Killing someone with your own two hands is so much more personal, wouldn't you agree? You've had so much experience with it yourself. Yes, Stellarman deserves a personal demise. For the wisdom of your leader if nothing else."

"What are you talking about?" Aki demanded.

"You don't know? No, you wouldn't, would you. He came here looking to discuss membership in Proxordo. He and Master Vayon are talking it over now. If you'd care to do the same, perhaps it can still be arranged."

"No way…he'd never join you!" Aki shrieked before lunging with the Dual Calibur but Prox Cutter blocked the blades with one of his saws as a shield.

"Is that so? He claimed the four of you had history, but he'd only known you for a short time. Can you be so sure of his loyalty?"

For just a second, Aki faltered. In that second Prox Cutter slashed her viciously his saw, sending her wheeling through the air. "I do think you deserve a personal death, Stellarman, but I plan to obey my orders. And if this is any indication, Red was indeed the exception…"

A cloud of Fire engulfed Prox Cutter and in another second he was gone. All Aki could do was peel herself off the pavement and ponder what she'd just heard.

Prox Dozer and Prox Countdown reappeared in the plaza where they'd been waiting when Daniel showed himself. Countdown jabbed his companion irritably with one long spike.

"Now, earthmover, prepare the receptacle. If there's nothing more worthy of your attention this time."

"All right, all right. I'm doing it," Prox Dozer grumbled. He raised and brought down a fist with earthshaking force. Cracks spread all over the ground and Prox Dozer wrenched the nearest piece out of the ground before hurling it aside and grabbing another.

While he did, Prox Countdown double-checked his stores. An inventory display popped up, covering his view of the street around him. His supplies of explosive were about a quarter depleted, he'd have to pace himself if combat was required of him. The supplies of shards were still untouched and perfectly stable. A smile crept across his metal face. He wondered for a minute if Vayon realized just how much love for their job came with the devotion to the cause he gave them.

"Hey, Countdown!" Prox Dozer called. "I dug your hole!" Indeed, the center of the plaza now contained a whole a good thirty feet across and ten deep. A huge pile of asphalt chunks sat nearby.

"That's not good enough! Push the edges out five more feet!"

"All right, all right!" Prox Dozer replied and pressed his hands against the nearest edge and forced the stone away with terrible ease. He took a step to his right and repeated the process again and then again. As he did Countdown walked around the edge of the hole and started spraying tiny shards of red crystal from his spike-hands downward. As soon as he's finished pushing the edge of the hole back Prox Dozer jumped out and retreated to a safe distance. He knew what happened next.

As soon as they touched the ground the crystal shards sank into the dirt. The two Truthcraft ran for all they were worth even as the ground began to tremble. Within instants a jagged crystal spire pushed its way out of the hole. It was like the ones that had summoned them to Cape Lombard, but it easily filled the hole it sprouted from and cracked the ground around its edges. The tremors as it grew could be felt all over the city. The crystal didn't stop until it nearly equaled the height of the buildings around it.

"It's glorious," Prox Cutter said as he appeared beside his comrades.

"But unrefined," Prox Countdown reminded him, motioning to the spire's many rough facets and smaller spires branching outward.

"I know. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten my job," Prox Cutter said with a flippant glance at Prox Dozer.

Prox Cutter braced himself, then fired the saws from his hands. As soon as they were gone another pair were fired off, and another, and another. Within seconds the air was full of whirring saws slicing off pieces of the crystal spire and shaving its sides into smooth facets.

"Soon, brothers. Soon, it'll be ready," Prox Cutter smiled.

"And then Stellarman will see just how outmatched they really are," Prox Countdown affirmed.

* * *

Things were quite and tense in the Sol Dome lounge as Stellarman waited for Commander Thebes to get there. Though they were on the verge of collapse, none of them felt like they could even consider sleep.

"Why the hell did she call us back?" Aki grumbled. "We should be out there, going after those monsters."

"You're starting to sound like Cliff," said Bohdi.

"I don't sound like that," Cliff protested.

"The point is, what are we doing here while the monsters are out there, doing who knows what to Daniel?" Aki said, ignoring him.

"Maybe we should be worried what Daniel will do next time we see him," Caitlin said softly, almost a whisper. "You heard what that monster said."

Aki snorted in derision. "You believe that? Those guys have tried to feed some crazy line of bull or another every time we met 'em, and Daniel knows it. Why would he suddenly want to make friends with Vayon?"

Caitlin sighed before she answered. "Aki, I'm not trying to be nasty, but we've got to consider all the angles. If Daniel didn't go to talk with Vayon about joining, why did he sneak out, and where is he now?"

Aki fumed and started to open her mouth, then shut it again and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "Why did all this crap have to happen tonight? I was having such a good time…"

"And don't think I'm not glad how you kids are sticking to it," Commander Thebes said, seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"You must have a plan if you called us all the way back here to tell us about it, right?" Aki ventured.

"Yes, but it's not the one you want hear, I'm sure," she answered. "We've pulled some technicians to start work on new weapons. If your last battle was any indication, you're going to need them and need them soon. For now though, go to the temporary quarters and get some sleep. We'll call you when we're ready."

"It's not what I want to hear, but I don't see what else we can do. I'm ready to drop," Bohdi admitted.

"Have you tried calling Daniel?" Aki asked.

"Considering the possible reasons for his absence the Directorate would rather we didn't for now. We'll let you know the minute he calls in, though. Now get some rest, all of you."

"See you guys later," Aki said, and staggered out of the room without waiting for a response. She made her way through the dull gray halls until she reached the rooms Thebes had set aside as temporary quarters for nights like this. She walked inside and immediately collapsed on the bed.

"It's not true," she whispered to herself. "It's not true. He didn't sell us out. He couldn't. After all we've been through, why would he…"

Aki fell silent and shut her eyes. How could everything have gotten so crazy in the course of one night? She knew she could be called upon to battle at any time, that was one of the things she accepted after she put the ring on.

But…Daniel was the only one who seemed to be a Stellarman because he thought it was the right thing to do. Bohdi wanted to prove himself to himself by starting over somewhere new. Cliff had his pent-up anger to work out, and Caitlin was there to make sure Cliff didn't get himself killed. As she lay there, Aki admitted to herself that the main reason she was there was to get out of the house and do something worthwhile as she was at it. Mostly to get out of the house.

Daniel, though, seemed at times too good to be true. He was brave, he was dedicated, he never said no to a challenge. And through it all, she'd never thought he'd had any reason for being a Stellarman other than because someone needed to do it and he happened to have Starlight like Thebes needed.

Had it all been an act? Had he been testing the waters to see which side was for him all along?

If that was so, what had they done that convinced him Proxordo was preferable to Stellarman? Proxordo had tried to take his life so many times for daring to have a difference of opinion and stand up to their agenda. At least Stellarman had given him the chance to go back to his ordinary life if he didn't like what he saw.

For a second panic gripped her fatigue-drenched mind. Had their date been what made up his mind? Had she crossed she some line that made Daniel decide he was better off elsewhere, even if it was with Proxordo?

No, that was stupid. The stupidest thought she'd ever had in her seventeen years on Earth.

Still, there were so many questions, but no answers. Not at the moment, at least. As she slipped into the black folds of sleep, Aki vowed to herself that as soon as Thebes called them, she'd find those miserable monsters and find out what happened to Daniel…

"Aki…Aki…wake up…"

She stirred at the feeling of delicate fingers brushing her cheek, then snapped awake in alarm.

"Who's there?!"

"I'm afraid my name wouldn't mean anything to you."

"Cliff, if you're trying to pull something after the night I had--"

The room exploded with pale blue light, cutting her off. Hovering beside Aki was an ivory white humanoid figure, slim and bare, with decidedly feminine contours. Her face was featureless except for two soft blue eyes, and waves of matching hair that Aki could see right through poured down from the top of her head.

"Who the hell are you?" Aki demanded, trying to hide the fact that something about her visitor had frozen her where she sat.

"I am your source," the "woman" replied calmly. She reached out and cupped Aki's cheeks. It felt almost…motherly. "It was not easy to be here, but I needed to tell you to be strong. This is truly the beginning of your journey, Aki. Trust in your friends, and the five of you can accomplish miracles."

"Five?"

"Make your powers one, Aki. You are strong, but together, Stellarman is invincible." The woman faded from view.

Aki sat there for a minute in stunned silence, then reached over and pinched herself sharply on the cheek.

"Ow!"

So…whatever that "source" was, it had been real enough. The excitement of the incident was already wearing off, though, and Aki laid back down and pulled the stiff cotton sheets over herself. If she'd been Caitlin or Bohdi she would've run off at once to tell Thebes, but she wasn't. It looked to be a full enough weekend already, and she planned to have a boy to show her parents at the end of it.


	11. Phase 11: Beta Cross

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 11: Beta Cross

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

"Rise, StellarRed. I wouldn't want you to miss this."

Buzzing filled Daniel's ears as he became aware of the world around him again. The sensation of power he felt as StellarRed was gone, and after Vayon's last attack he was more surprised to feel his all his limbs than to be plain old Daniel Reese again. Hanging from his belt was a charred mass that looked a bit like his Stellphone.

"I must admit, despite all the wonders the Fire has shown me, the view of a city from the sky is still somehow breathtaking, wouldn't you agree?" Vayon said calmly.

Daniel looked around and his breath left him. He was floating hundreds of feet in the air, the rooftops of Cape Lombard ringed by nighttime lights. Almost smack dab in the center, though, was a huge spire of red crystal. Amro Vayon levitated beside him.

"What is that thing?"

"That, my young friend, is how I plan to get the world's attention. It will magnify a charge of the Fire into a force capable of shaking an entire city to the ground. No one will deny the power at my command then, and I can truly begin the business of undoing the damage done to this planet."

"Can I ask just one question? Why? If you're really one of the good guys, why are you so hell-bent on making your point with monsters and doomsday weapons?"

"Because force is the only thing these people understand!" Vayon roared as if every person he met had asked him the same question. "I can't waste valuable time trying to open diplomatic relations with every short-sighted, corrupt official in the world! Would they listen to me anyway, some deluded soul who's disconnected from reality? I can no longer see things the way they do, StellarRed, and that makes me someone whose warnings are to be given little or no credence. You know it's true, boy.

"You've felt the Fire. It burns but it will open your eyes if you can survive it. I only meant to incapacitate you and gauge your threshold, and you proved more resilient than I anticipated. With training you could learn to wield the Fire as well as I.

"Think of all the good you could do with that immeasurable power coupled with your own, StellarRed. We could immolate this destructive society and build another together."

Daniel said nothing. Maybe it was because he was suffering through the longest night of his life, maybe it was the force of Vayon's presence, but the defiance he might've otherwise served up was gone.

"Wait until the true spectacle begins before you make up your mind, child," Vayon replied. "Once you've seen the power of that crystal, you'll know there's only one choice to make."

Tingling from the spots where he'd been blasted dissuaded Daniel from saying anything more. Vayon drifted away and fell silent.

For now, it appeared, there was nothing to do but wait for the fireworks to start.

* * *

"You have a plan, I hope, Commander?" Bohdi asked, his eyes less heavy as Commander Thebes entered the briefing room, a briefcase in one hand.. A look at the other members of Stellarman saw them a bit less fatigued then when he'd last seen them, but with what they were facing--and facing short-handed, at that--the big alien couldn't help but feel they were in over their heads.

"Two, actually," she answered. She pressed a button and on the screen behind her appeared an image of a hefty black cannon with five barrels on a revolving cylinder around a larger one in the middle. "This is the Supernova. It operates on the same idea as your Trigger Fury attack. Your individual beams combine into one, but it has a focusing beam emitted from the center to multiply the power of your combined energies."

"And your guys whipped this up just now?" Cliff asked.

"No, we've been working on this for a while. The problem was the force of the blast was too powerful to control. Where we're at now, I'm afraid it's a risk we'll have to take. Besides, they tell me at this point it's mostly a matter of the operators being ready for the kickback.

"That's not all, though," Thebes went on. "I have another new weapon for you." She opened the briefcase, revealing five rectangular devices etched with a series of three stars.

"These are Battle Dealers," she explained. "They're something else we've been working on for a while, and amplify your Starlight as well allow you to combine it with your weapons and attacks more efficiently by inputting cards to spark your abilities. Don't take these for granted, though. Prolonged use will turn into a physical strain on you.

"Right now, I'm dividing you up. Aki, Cliff, the two of you will follow the coordinates on this," she said, holding up a small circular disk to be inserted into one of their Stellphones and a handful of blank gray cards. "Once you're there you'll find another new power. Bohdi, Caitlin, I need you two to stay behind and help the technicians finish tests on the Supernova. We'll need both as soon as possible."

"Can you even tell us where we're going, Thebes?" Aki asked.

"No, Aki. The Advancer's been fueled up for you, now get going. Bohdi, Caitlin, report to Dr. Lawrence's lab on level four."

Cliff glared at Aki as they left the room. "I can't believe I'm getting stuck with you."

"Who cares? Let's just do this and get back," Aki said.

"That's it? No stupid bubbly remarks?"

"Yeah," Aki fired back, flames almost burning in her eyes. "I'm tired and I don't want to be at the Dome all weekend. Let's do this shit, huh?"

"Yeah, sure," was all Cliff said.

Things were quiet between Bohdi and Caitlin as they caught an elevator to their destination. Once they stepped off, though, Caitlin seemed to find her voice.

"Bohdi, why do you think Daniel snuck out?"

"I'm trying not to assume the worst."

"Do you think he's selling us out?"

Bohdi sighed. "Catie, let's try not to worry about this now, okay?" he sighed, hoping silently that Daniel's disappearance wouldn't force him back into the spotlight.

"Don't you think we have to? What if we get this new weapon working, and it turns out Daniel's fighting on their side?"

"Do you think he will?" Bohdi asked a bit resignedly.

"I don't really know," Caitlin answered. "He's so hard to figure out. He doesn't talk about himself or his past, or even what's going on in his life. For all I know, maybe he is thinking he's on the wrong side."

Bohdi was about to say something but stopped himself. Daniel had always seemed like a good person to him, and was the only one of them who ever requested training on his own time. He never backed down or gave up, and Bohdi had handed over leadership of Stellarman to him for much more than to get some peace of mind.

For all that, though, Bohdi had to admit Daniel was something of a mystery. When Daniel was around he rarely discussed his personal affairs. Even Caitlin would mention her plans with to others from time to time, just to have something to talk about. Bohdi was all too familiar with what Aki and the Ashfords had to look forward to when they got home.

Daniel was different. He listened fine but didn't talk much. What he did after he went home he didn't feel any need to say, and for some reason nobody asked. When he talked, Daniel was all business. He'd seemed a perfect fit…

"Why do you think he snuck out?" Bohdi posed to Caitlin.

"I don't know, but…I have the this feeling he was trying to protect us."

"That's optimistic of you, Catie."

"Well, if he was going to join Proxordo, he would've left without telling us, but we were all pretty worn out even then. Maybe he had some plan to buy us time. I don't know…" Caitlin mused.

"I want to believe that," Bohdi said. "We'd better go get started with that new weapon, though." "Yeah…"

The door retracted into the walls as they approached, and waiting for them was an elderly man with receding gray hair and a beak-like nose. "Ah, there you are. We're ready to start testing the Supernova," the man said in a nasal voice. He indicated the weapon they'd seen resting on a tripod which was aimed at a row of boulders on the other side of the room.

"We're ready too, Dr. Lawrence. What do we do?" Bohdi asked as he and Caitlin stood on either side of the cannon.

"Put your hands on the grips, they're marked according to color. Then, channel your energy into the cannon. Try not to let go, no matter what," the scientist explained.

"Cosmic Evolution!" In a flash Bohdi and Aki had transformed once again and took the black and pink grips on the Supernova in hand.

"Ready, Catie?"

"Ready." Starlight poured into the cannon. A pair of the barrels on the front blazed black and pink. The cylinder the barrels were on started to spin.

"Now, pull back on the trigger," Dr. Lawrence told them.

Keeping the current of Starlight steady Bohdi reached back and closed his glove over the trigger. Slowly he pulled back on it and a white beam ripped from the main barrel. Bohdi tried to aim it at one of the boulders but the recoil was too strong. The Supernova toppled backward, taking Bohdi and Caitlin with it. When they hit the ground they were back to normal and wracked with pain.

"It looks like we have a long day ahead of us," Dr. Lawrence said mournfully.

* * *

The morning sky was still a brilliant orange from the sunrise as Aki pulled the Advancer to a halt at a barren, rocky spot near the coast. Immediately she climbed out and started looking around.

"What are we looking for?" Cliff asked. The words were scarcely out of his mouth when he felt a cool sensation come over him. "Do you feel that?"

"I sure do. Move around and see if it gets stronger anywhere."

"Doesn't Thebes say what to look for?" Cliff pressed.

"Nope. It just says this is the place. Now get going."

"All right, all right," Cliff grumbled. He started off in the opposite direction and kicked a rock in irritation. Why couldn't anyone on this team ever just give a straight answer? Was it so hard to tell them what to expect or what they were after? They could be out here all day stumbling around looking for whatever Thebes had sent them to find, and with how badly she seemed to want it that just didn't make sense.

His mental rambling was silenced as the feeling of cold doubled. Looking around he spotted a large rock cracked almost in two nearby, and by the time he walked over to it he was fighting down an urge to wrap his arms around himself. A cool breeze blew onto his face, but it was a relief compared to the cold he was already feeling.

"Hello!" Cliff yelled into the crack.

"-llo!" his own voice answered a second later.

"You find something, kid?" Aki called.

"I think so," Cliff answered. He unclipped his Stellphone, pressed a button and a beam of light spared into the dark space behind the crack in the rock. Indeed, there was a cave inside.

Aki ran over and squeezed between the rocks. A second later she called, "There's a tunnel back here. This is probably it!"

"You're welcome," Cliff replied after making his way inside as well. To his relief the cold sensation didn't get any worse inside.

"Thanks, kid. Nice job." She activated the light of her own Stellphone and led the way into the cave.

"That's it?" Cliff asked as he followed.

"What are you talking about?"

"Thanks? No stupid jokes? No teasing?"

"If we survive all this, I'll start giving you that stuff again. Right now, let's find what we're here for and get back."

"Sure, sure," Cliff said and followed in silence. For a minute. "So, what were you doing last night?"

"What?"

"You and the new kid. When you called the Machines you two beamed in from the same place."

"He has a name, you know."

"Don't change the subject," Cliff pressed.

"If you must know, we were on a date."

"A…date?" Cliff asked, completely taken aback.

"Yeah. It bug that I actually like someone on this team?"

"Don't you say that like I hate everyone. Bohdi's awesome, I don't know why he made the new kid leader. He'll figure out a way to get us through this."

"Look, kid," Aki countered. "Bohdi's a cool guy, yeah, but he's an introvert. Back home he always went hunting by himself. That's what he told me anyway. Maybe if you gave Daniel a chance you'd see he's not really so bad, huh?"

"First I'd like to see him come back with Vayon's head in one hand."

They walked along without a word passing between them for two or three minutes. They rounded a bend and saw something that stopped them in their tracks.

A flat wall, with a steel door built into it.

"Yep, this is it," Aki said. She pushed on the door, but it didn't budge. That was when she noticed a small, flat slot the same size as the disc with the coordinates Thebes had given her. Popping it out of her Stellphone again she slid it into the opening. With a hiss of stale air and the labored grinding of ancient mechanisms, the door creaked on its track and rolled aside.

"This must be it!" Cliff exclaimed gratefully.

"That's a pretty safe bet, kid," Aki said from inside the new room. Cliff elbowed his way past her and stopped in awe himself.

Inside the room were three enormous robot animals, covered from head to tail in gray plating. The first was a bird, tall and sleek, but with its wings disconnected from its shoulders and lying on the floor in front of it. Next to it was a horse with a short but sharp-looking horn protruding from its forehead. A unicorn. Third was…

"What is that?" Aki asked, pointing at the one on the end.

"It's a bear," Cliff said like he'd been asked the stupidest question of his life.

"New Ptolemic Machines!" Aki said with relief. Cliff took off for the bear-robot at a run.

"I get dibs this time!" Cliff yelled.

"You make it sound like you got a crappy one last time, kid. Who got stuck with the lizard, huh?"

"Guess I'm just faster'n you!"

"Or maybe I don't really care about having the coolest robot," Aki mumbled. She spotted something out of the corner of her eye. "Kid, watch--"

She never got to finish. An explosion ripped through the room and knocked them both down. Aki was back up with more speed than Cliff gave her credit for, but what she saw once she was on her feet froze her on the spot.

Standing there was one of the strangest things Aki had ever seen, and that was saying something for a member of Stellarman. It had legs and hooves like a horse, the torso and arms of a bear, and feathered wings sprouting from its back. Its face was the weirdest part by far. It looked like a bear's but it had a long beak and pointed ears. It gave a horrendous cry Aki couldn't even start to identify then ran at her before spreading its wings and taking flight.

"Cosmic Evolution!" she screamed. Even before blue power flared around her she was rolling out of the thing's way. The beast's hoof clipped one shoulder as it flew past but she managed to ignore it and clip the Battle Dealer onto her wrist. "I hope you weren't screwin' with me about this thing, Thebes…" The beast swung around and came at Aki again. Desperately she pulled out a card with an image of her Dual Calibur on the front and slid it into the Battle Dealer.

"Arm Card Set. Dual Calibur," it announced in a voice that was a bit too cheerful given the situation. The twin swords appeared in her hands as they always did, but there was a prickling of power there that there hadn't been before. As she swung with all her might at the beast she hardly even realized she'd sheared off one wing before it crashed into the wall behind her.

"How's that for fast, kid?" She lunged at the beast then jabbed her swords into it from opposite sides. "Komodo Jaws!" Power flowed from her weapons into the beast faster than before, and the result was even more dramatic than when she'd used the attack on Haikoga. The beast shook and roared before small explosions broke out all over its body.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Cliff yelled, vanishing and StellarYellow taking his place. "Not bad, but let me show you speed AND power!" He produced two cards, one of his Grav-Hammer and the other of Eagle, his Ptolemic Machine, and slid them both into his Battle Dealer.

"Arm Card Set. Grav-Hammer. Alpha Card Set. Aquila."

Cliff jumped so high he almost hit the vaulted ceiling. He yelled "Eagle Dive!" and came rocketing down like an eagle swooping toward prey. His hammer glowed with yellow power as he smashed it down with all his might on the beast's shoulders. It growled feebly then disintegrated into dust-sized particles.

"Yellow, respect it," Cliff said proudly.

"I softened him up for you," Aki reminded him.

"Not much you didn't. Anyway, let's get the robots running and get back."

"You're not taking me anywhere…"

"What was that?" Aki asked. She glanced over her shoulder and her mouth went dry.

There was the creature they'd just fought, unhurt and looking very, very angry.

Pink and black rays flew across the lab and wrapped around the thicker white beam. It hit one of the rocks dead center and with a roar it exploded, pelting the two of them with rock shards. Luckily, they didn't even feel it through their uniforms.

"Your control's a bit infirm still, but you're improving quickly," Dr. Lawrence said from the safety of his observation booth.

"This is worse than a ten-day hunt," Bohdi panted.

"We're almost there," Caitlin said as supportively as she could manager.

"I'm afraid what you've got now will have to do," Commander Thebes's voice interrupted over the intercom. "Something's happening in town, I need you two to mobilize right now."

"What is it, Commander?" Bohdi asked. "Are those monsters making another crystal?"

"Worse, something's opening in the sky. We think they're getting that crystal ready to do…something."

The beast smacked the two of them away. "I am the legacy of Shakai! My power will not be abused!" it howled.

Cliff came back swinging his hammer. It crunched as it hit the beast's elbow. The arm dangled for a second, but the next thing Cliff saw was a punch from the arm he'd just smashed that knocked him down. The beast didn't make another move to attack but eyed them warily and interposed itself between them and the Ptolemic Machines.

Aki darted in and ducked under a punch from the beast. She tried to lunge in and thrust her swords at its legs but it suddenly bashed its hoof against her helmet.

"We've gotta hit it at the same time. Both powers at once," Cliff said.

"That hit didn't knock something loose in your brain, did it kid?"

"Ha ha. Let's come from both sides."

Aki produced a card with a picture of Lizard on the front. "I'll go low, you go high," she said and deposited it in her Battle Dealer.

"Alpha Card Set. Lacerta."

She took off running then jumped to the wall and scuttled along it like a lizard. The beast swooped at her but Cliff bounded off the other wall and glided like a bird toward its back which he slammed his hammer into. Aki vaulted for the beast before it could recover and slashed over and over with all the speed her new power provided. Cliff forced his hammer into the beast's back with all his enhanced might.

The beast cried out in its bizarre roar again, then disintegrated as before. This time, however, the double barrage of Starlight seemed to have overwhelmed its powers of recovery. The particles drifted toward the robots, through the openings in their armor. The bird turned indigo, the unicorn a dazzling white, and the one Cliff insisted was a bear became a dark green.

"Weird," Cliff said but approached the bear robot once again. Aki jogged after him, gripping her swords tightly in case there were any more of those weird guardian creatures around. A hatch opened and the two entered. By the time they'd made their way up to the cockpit in the robot's head everything they'd seen was indeed consistent with their own Ptolemic Machines.

Cliff immediately sat down in the pilot's seat and took the control grips, but nothing happened.

"Well? Let's go, kid."

"I can't, somehow these ones are different than the old ones. Remember how those turned colors after we activated them? These ones changed colors before we got anywhere near 'em." Cliff thought for a second and fished out one of the blank cards Thebes had given them. The machine shook slightly, and the space on the card filled in with an image of the bear robot. In one corner formed the word "Ursa." This time when Cliff took the controls, the robot took a step forward.

"All right! Let's get going!" Aki said.

"You're not gonna get one?"

"Are you kiddin'? The wings are off the bird one, and I'm not takin' the unicorn. We'll send somebody back for the other ones."

"Have it your way, princess." Bear lumbered forward until it crashed right through the hillside and into the sunlight. "You're the one who can explain it to Thebes when we get back."

* * *

At first, it was so small Daniel didn't realize it was there even from his midair vantage point. As hours passed, though, that buzzing from proximity to Vayon's Fire returned and a pinprick in the sky slowly swelled until it had become a gaping hole, swirling with the Fire of Truth. Tongues of energy began to lash down and caress the sides of the crystal spire, causing it to pulse with an unearthly light.

"My god…"

"Don't speak of gods in my presence, whatever the meaning may be," Vayon said suddenly and rising from his trance. "It was the dedication of man that made this possible."

"I thought you said your powers weren't as strong as you wanted people to think."

"They aren't, that's why it took me until this afternoon to open a portal. Now you'll see what the Fire can truly accomplish."

"What are you gonna do? Blow up the city?"

Vayon chortled. "Are you entertaining notions of stopping me if I am?"

"No, but if I'm gonna start playing for your team, don't you think you can tell me what the big crystal's supposed to do?"

Vayon regarded Daniel silently for a long moment before he answered. At that moment Daniel would've given anything to see the face beneath Vayon's helmet. "No, it won't destroy this city, but it will make sure I have the attention of the world when I do."

"And how are you gonna do that?"

"That portal isn't just charging the large crystal. Before that even went up, the Truthcraft planted numerous smaller crystals underground. They're connected to the main one, and also being energized by that portal into the Fire of Truth itself. Once primed they will release that energy in a terrific explosion."

"I'm kind of surprised how open you are about this," Daniel said. "It's like I'm in a James Bond movie or something."

"Ah, but I don't intend to kill you, do I? You survived the Fire's touch, and with the addition of your presence Stellarman became an actual threat. You'll be a valuable lieutenant once the next phase of my plans begin in earnest. Admit it, StellarRed, you can see the way the world is headed as well, and you no more wish to see it end that way than I." "No, you're right. I mean, the population's spiraling out of control, our resources are disappearing, things like that and even a lot of the people who say they want to help aren't willing to rock the boat enough to make the sweeping changes we need. Sometimes I really think the only way we can get it right is to start over," Daniel replied as he gazed up at the vortex in the sky that continued to stretch even wider.

"Well said, young one, well said. Never forget, it's the hand of man that caused this, and it's the hand of man that will undo that harm as well. People like you and I, StellarRed. With determination such as ours and the power of the Fire, we can truly achieve miracles."

"I'm still not really down with blowing people up, though."

"Nor I," Vayon said with a sigh. "This is not motivated by malice, I cannot stress that enough."

"Yeah, you keep saying. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs."

"I'm not familiar with that expression, but I think I get your meaning. If only the rest of Stellarman was as open-minded as yourself."

"Yeah, if only," Daniel sighed and looked down at the crystal which had turned white. Vayon waved his staff and the portal started to shrink. Much more quickly than it had opened. Once it was gone the crystal hummed, then released a fiery blast into the sky. Daniel had to shield his eyes from the glare, and didn't open them again until he counted to ten-one thousand even after the world through his eyelids had gone dark again. "What was that? Did you just shoot down Air Force One or something?"

"Watch," Vayon replied simply. Daniel did, and a minute later he saw a few glowing objects shot through the sky in the distance before vanishing from sight. "Pieces of an early warning satellite. That'll bring the eyes of the world to this town, then the underground crystals will do their work."

"Boy, I'm glad I'm up here instead of down there," Daniel said. Then without warning he threw his hardest chop at Vayon's neck. The master of Proxordo screamed in surprise and the two of them fell.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Daniel yelled. As the red power enveloped him again he gave out a silent prayer that his powers could save him from the fall. As the street came screaming up to greet him he instinctively went into a roll. His arms went numb as they hit the ground before he somersaulted to ride out the momentum, as if he'd tried to stop a bus with his bare hands, but he managed to roll to a bumping stop. Daniel managed to ignore the pain all over his body and struggled to his feet looking around for Vayon. Instead, he spotted Pink and Black riding toward him on their motorcycles. They stopped about half a block away and regarded him silently.

"Daniel?" Bohdi asked quietly.

"You think somebody stole my suit, maybe?"

Caitlin got off her bike and approached him cautiously. "What are you doing here, Daniel? Why did you sneak out last night?"

"Oh, I get it. You think maybe I was looking for a chance to change teams, right?" Daniel sighed and sagged against the closest wall to wait out his pain. "Hear me out, guys. StellarSavage was trashed and we'd just barely beat one monster. Taking on three more right away seemed like more than we could handle. I wanted to try to figure out what they were doing and maybe keep them busy so you guys could regroup. But then…"

"Then…?" Bohdi prodded.

"Vayon. Freaking VAYON. He tried to bring me over to his side, but…look, see that crystal there? He said there's other ones underneath the city and they're gonna blow up and take us all with 'em."

"Sadly, you won't be around to do anything about it." Vayon floated into view, rubbing his neck irritably and his three monsters right behind him. "I had truly hoped you were different, StellarRed. End this, warriors of Proxordo." He vanished behind a plume of his treasured Fire.

"No quarter," Prox Countdown said to his compatriots. He aimed his launchers at the three youths.

"You heard the guy," said Daniel. Before he could attack, Caitlin reached over and fastened a Battle Dealer around his wrist.

"Pink, do you know what you're doing?" Bohdi asked.

"We got this far by working together, we're not going to get any farther if we fall apart over one misunderstanding," she said and handed Daniel cards with pictures of the Wolf Ptolemic Machine and his Clash Knuckle on. "Put those in and let's do this."

"Thanks, Catie," Daniel said and did as she told him.

"Alpha Card Set. Lupus. Arm Card Set. Clash Knuckle." His weapon appeared over his arm in a flash and the others slipped their own cards into their Battle Dealers.

"Alpha Card Set. Hydra. Arm Card Set. Stellash."

"Alpha Card Set. Vuplecula. Arm Card Set. Arc Blader."

"Attack! Blast Swarm!" Prox Countdown shrieked and fired a barrage of bombs at them. Bohdi dashed in front.

"Serpent Striker!" He swung his whip so fast he was a black blur. Each crack knocked a bomb away from them. When he stopped a chain of explosions tore up the street but not a single projectile had reached Stellarman. Immediately they charged at their mechanical foes.

Daniel rammed the Clash Knuckle into Prox Dozer's jaw with a resounding clang. The monster staggered back and tore a hunk of concrete out of the ground but Daniel kept coming. He dashed and shattered Prox Dozer's impromptu weapon with a punch from the Clash Knuckle then raised it high. "Heavy Fang Chop!" He brought his gauntlet down on Prox Dozer's chest with more force than he'd ever had. Prox Dozer stumbled away, clutching his smoking armor.

"Dash Cutter!" Prox Cutter streaked by Caitlin and slashed her viciously with one saw as he passed. He swung around for another path, but Caitlin was ready.

"Vul Stealth," she whispered and disappeared from sight. Prox Cutter blasted through but met nothing. He stopped as the power of his dash burnt away and filled the air with whirring saw blades. All of a sudden one of the saw was deflected by something unseen. Before he could tell what was going on Caitlin's star-shaped boomerang flickered into visibility just before it sliced into his chest.

"Looks like your boys aren't doing so well!" Bohdi cracked his whip against Prox Countdown's wrists to keep him from using his weapons again.

"You caught us by surprise, child, that's all," the monster replied calmly. "The spire's transferring power to the crystals below this city. Your time's still running out." He sprayed bombs at Bohdi but the alien came charging through them even as they exploded. Bohdi swung his whip with such speed the blows seemed to be coming from five directions at once. The Stellash left smoking gashes wherever it hit. Stellarman closed in, surrounding the monsters.

"We've got them on the ropes!" Bohdi called. "Let's finish them off!"

"Use this," Caitlin said and passed Daniel the Supernova's card. He slid it into his Battle Dealer without hesitation.

"Arm Card Set. Supernova." The cannon appeared in front of him and Bohdi and Caitlin quickly moved to his side to seize their designated grips. Following their lead Daniel clutched the red one.

"Channel your Starlight into the gun!" Bohdi instructed.

"You got it," Daniel replied, pouring his energy into the grip. The barrel started to spin and Daniel squeezed the trigger. The white beam screamed from the main barrel and red, black and pink wrapped around it. Prox Dozer jumped in the way and grappled the incoming beam with his mighty hands for a second, but then fell back and was engulfed by Supernova's blast. He chugged a few times, then exploded where he stood.

"You're next!" Daniel yelled to the others.

"Don't count on it, trickster," Vayon's voice boomed from above. Stellarman looked up to see his image hovering in the clouds. "Prox Dozer, rise again, your power magnified by ten! Prox Dozer, show them your power! Make this our enemies' final hour!" A shaft of light descended from the tip of his staff to where the monster's blackened remains lay. They shimmered, then Prox Dozer reappeared, looming over them as a giant. Prox Countdown and Cutter took the opportunity to slip away unnoticed.

Bohdi grabbed his Stellphone. "Commander, please tell me StellarSavage is repaired!"

"All the major damage is dealt with, yes, but--"

"We'll have to take that risk! Send it out!" Daniel cut her off.

"…all right."

Prox Dozer took an earthshaking step toward them and Stellarman barely dove out of the way in time. To their relief, though, another towering shape appeared over the skyline. A second after they recognized it as StellarSavage they found themselves at their seats in its cockpit.

"I'll crush you for sure this time!" Prox Dozer taunted and lunged toward Stellarman's robot. StellarSavage dodged but sparks flew from its waist. It threw a slow, jerky punch at Prox Dozer as he was turning around and he replied with one of his own that knocked the robot into a that crumbled as StellarSavage landed on top of it. Nearby the crystal spire's glow dimmed faintly.

"Thebes wasn't kidding," Caitlin gasped. "We can barely fight like this."

"That's not all," Bohdi pointed to the spire. "That must be the power be channeled underground, like you said."

"We've got no time to lose," Daniel said and urged StellarSavage back up. "Serpent Salvo!" The beams pelted Prox Dozer but he didn't even seem to notice as he closed to grappling range then lifted StellarSavage and hurled it back down.

"Come on guys, hurry!" Daniel cried. Again StellarSavage slowly rose to its feet, sparks shooting from elbows and torso. Prox Dozer ran at it but before he'd even closed half the distance something shot over a rooftop and tackled him.

"What in the--" Daniel sputtered.

"Glad to see you too, new kid," Cliff said over the communicator.

"We brought a new Ptolemic Machine, but…we're not really sure what it does," Aki said.

"I'll tell you what it does!" Commander Thebes cut in. "It's called a Beta Unit, and they can give StellarSavage new weapons. Say 'Beta Cross'!"

"Beta Cross!" five voices rang out. The Hydra's head acting as StellarSavage's helmet detached and the Bear robot separated. Its rear half divided in two and attached to the robot's shoulders. Its middle separated into a pair of gauntlets with heavily enforced knuckles and a new breastplate that attached to StellarSavage's hands and chest, respectively. Finally a green helmet drifted out of the Bear's head and down over StellarSavage's own.

"So you changed your colors a little! You're still just a bunch of kids in a beat-up old robot! I'll squash you like an ant!" Prox Dozer threw his arms wide and charged StellarSavage like an angry bull. He was about to grab it in a bear hug but StellarSavage swung a heavy fist that dented his head and stopped him in his tracks in the same shot, but it didn't let up. StellarSavage landed a punch that cracked the monster's chest plate and followed up with one that smashed through open the armor protecting one shoulder. A spectacular spark fountain shot up from that attack.

Disconcertingly, Prox Dozer laughed low in his metal throat. "Not bad, but you're still just a couple kids in a rundown robot." He kicked a box-shaped building out of its foundations at StellarSavage who threw its arms in front of it like a boxer blocking a punch. The building smashed itself to bits on StellarSavage's arms just before Prox Dozer plowed into the robot like a wrecking ball.

StellarSavage toppled with the monster on top of it, but with newfound strength Savage gave a powerful buck with its legs and knocked Prox Dozer off. He had just gotten to his knees when StellarSavage clamped its arms around him in a bear hug.

"Kodiak Crush!" Cliff called out. Prox Dozer struggled in StellarSavage's grip and started to gurgle a sentence but StellarSavage just squeezed tighter. Prox Dozer just had time to let a hollow, agonized death cry before imploding in StellarSavage's grasp.

With the monster dealt with StellarSavage stomped to the crystal and battered it with Ursa's mighty fists. The top half of the spire cracked then split, and a column of the Fire of Truth issued skyward from it again. Once it was gone, the crystal had turned a dark, but unthreatening shade of red.

"Did we stop it in time?" Caitlin asked breathlessly. No one answered her. She didn't have to guess why. A minute passed. Nothing happened.

"Are we dead?" Aki asked.

"You hear an explosion?" Daniel asked back.

"No."

"Then probably not." All of a sudden he got up from his seat and exited StellarSavage's cockpit. The others followed him in surprise and found him outside, standing on the robot's shoulder overlooking Cape Lombard, his helmet tucked under one arm.

"What are you looking at, Daniel?" Caitlin asked quietly.

"Everything," he answered. The sun was starting to sink out of sight, and despite the devastation of their battle with Prox Dozer the city turning its shades of pale gold was eerily beautiful. It was a sight he'd seen more than once, but never really noticed before now…


	12. Phase 12: Leopard

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 12: Leopard

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Amro Vayon slowly passed his hand in front of his window overlooking his beloved flying city. The rooftops of Haven flickered away and were replaced by an image of Cape Lombard, sporting a sizable crater in the center of town after the previous day's excitement.

Dione, tossing her blue hair over one shoulder, drifted into the room, only speaking once she'd floated to his side. "Master…?"

"Yes, Dione?"

"I'm…sorry, for what happened. If there's anything I can do--"

"You can stop acting like it had anything to do with you," Vayon cut her off. "And bring me another batch of Veritium, I have a feeling we'll need something to offset Stellarman's new bag of tricks."

"But sir," Dione sputtered, "we've processed all the ore we could find already. There's only a small supply left."

"We'll have to go ahead anyway. If we wait too long the expenditure we already made will have been for nothing. In the meantime, organize a search for more of the necessary materials."

"At once," Dione replied.

"No, not at once," Vayon said with a mischievous grin.

* * *

In Sol Dome's hangar a small army of harried-looking repair workers had finally gotten StellarSavage looking the way it had the first time the great robot arrived in the hangar.

"I have to say, it's a weight off my mind to see StellarSavage up and running at a hundred percent again," Bohdi said to the others, who were gathered behind a window overlooking the hangar.

"Me too," Daniel agreed. "I have a feeling we're going to need all the help we can get soon."

Aki playfully slapped him on the shoulder. "Loosen up, kid. We won, didn't we? And we got two more of those Beta things we didn't have to break out." With a wave of her hand she indicated Cliff's bear robot, the unicorn and the bird to which technicians were about to start attaching its wings.

"Two, if we can get anybody to take the unicorn," Daniel corrected her.

"You mean you don't want it?"

"Hell no, I don't want it," he replied.

"Don't look at me," Caitlin put in.

"What's the big deal about having the unicorn?" Bohdi asked.

"You've got a lot to learn about humans, big guy," Aki said with a smirk.

"I think we all do," said a voice behind them, and they turned to see Commander Thebes approaching. She still didn't look the slightest bit tired or unkempt despite how she must've gotten even less sleep over the last few days than they did. "Thank you for coming in this morning, Daniel."

"You sound almost like you were expecting me not to," he replied.

"I don't know. We still haven't heard your whole story. According to Caitlin and Bohdi you were cut off in the middle of explaining yourself."

Daniel sighed. "Look, the team was worn out and we were looking at a fight with three monsters and no Ptolemic Machines. I figured Proxordo was most likely to listen to me, since I was on the team the shortest. I was hoping maybe I could get them to hold off or at least find out what they were up to. Face it, you wouldn't have let me go if you'd known what I was doing. I was hoping you guys would figure something out with the time I bought you, and it looks like you did."

"After running out there like a bunch of dummies who didn't think you knew what you were doin', kid," Aki smiled.

"Be that as it may," Commander Thebes interrupted, "I also hear you encountered Vayon. That wasn't part of your plan, I'm guessing."

"No, it wasn't," Daniel admitted.

"Daniel, listen to me and listen closely," Commander Thebes said slowly. "I appreciate how far you're willing to go for the team, but what happened just goes to show how quickly things can get out of hand."

"I'll try not to let it happen again, ma'am. Now can I ask you a question? Where do these new robots come from?"

"You just worry about getting used to them. We haven't seen the last of those other two monsters," Commander Thebes said then walked past them without another word.

"She's hiding something," Daniel said once she was out of sight.

"Can you blame her after what you pulled?" Cliff asked.

"He has a point, though," Caitlin stepped in. "This is the second time the SDA's just found a bunker where a bunch of Ptolemic Machines were hidden. How do they know about the robots in the first place?"

Daniel made a thoughtful noise.

"What are you thinking, kid?" Aki inquired.

"Nothing. Why don't we had to the gym and you guys can show me how hard you've been training?"

* * *

Tom Perry found his helmet and slid it onto his head. He detached the torch that hung from his belt and smiled appreciatively when the tip ignited.

A surge of pride swelled up within him once his equipment check was complete. Thousands of Risen in Proxordo's ranks, and he was one of those chosen for this mission, indispensable to the organization's cause. He doubted he'd done anything to attract Amro Vayon's attention, but that didn't matter. If they succeeded, he'd do just that.

"Ready?" another Risen addressed the group. The engraved flames on his breastplate, helmet and greaves indicated him as one of their elite, trusted with even more access to the Fire. An Amp-Risen.

"Ready!" the others yelled at the top of what passed for their lungs, with a few toward the back of the room not quite matching their fellows' enthusiasm. The Amp-Risen turned his gaze in their direction, eliciting cringes from the guilty.

"Then let's get going. This world we're traveling to has been scanned as a viable source of Veritium, but we're not sure exactly where it could be. Your torches will flare if you're near a deposit." His piece said, the Amp-Risen walked to a double door in one wall and pounded loudly on it with his torch. It swung open to reveal a whirling vortex that filled the doorway. The Risen formed a column and marched into the portal. As soon as they did, they were consumed by a feeling like being pulled inside out. As suddenly it started, it was over. They stood on the floor of a strange jungle with bright orange, red, and purple foliage.

"Fan out," the Amp-Risen barked.

Perry broke off from the others as ordered and started pushing vines and curtains of the brightly-colored foliage out of his way with the shaft of his torch. Sudden a flock of four-winged birds seemed to exploded from the ground in front of him and disappeared amid the treetops.

He pushed on through the trees, still amazed at the power Vayon had at his command. Perry's torch and the metal that coated his body were both impressive, to be sure, but passage to alternate dimensions? A month and a half ago he wouldn't even have thought such a thing was real. If anyone could save the world from itself, he had no doubt it was Amro Vayon.

All at once there was a rustling in some bushes nearby and a dark green shape lunged out, tackling him to the ground. It looked something like a mountain lion but with dark green scales and spines running down its back. He tried to bash his torch against its head but the creature swiped with one claw and knocked the weapon away. Perry grabbed it by the head but the creature, whatever it was, pushed forward, seemingly intent on closing its jaws around his neck.

Perry screamed. It was no good. For all his faith in Vayon, all of the power he knew he had, Perry wasn't ready, mentally, for this. He'd never been a fighter by nature. He was about to give vent to another scream when his attacker's back exploded with flame. The Amp-Risen appeared out of nowhere above them and swatted the animal aside with a blow from his torch.

"Get your weapon, Risen," he barked at Perry who ran to where his torch had landed. The animal pounced at them and the Amp-Risen darted aside to let Perry handle this himself. Clumsily he waved his torch at its side and to his overwhelming relief connected, knocking it through the air. The animal landed at the base of a thick tree and exploded.

"Be glad I found you. If Kamandetes was leading this mission, he would've left you to die," the Amp-Risen declared with more than a little scorn.

Perry said nothing. What was there to say? He was considering impaling himself on his own torch when he realized the flame on the end had billowed up.

"Sir, does this--"

"Over here, you! Over here!" The Amp-Risen ran to the tree where the creature had exploded and they both saw a hefty portion had been blown out of its trunk. Embedded inside the tree were numerous hunks of rough red crystal.

"Veritium comes from trees??" Perry asked in disbelief.

"Not always. In some worlds we've had to dig it up. I hear tell there was another where it rained Veritium dust. It doesn't matter, get back to the portal and tell them we need to start logging."

Perry regarded his superior strangely. "We're going to cut down this jungle?"

"Of course," the Amp-Risen said like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Perry got up and walked away as fast as he could, hoping his superior hadn't noticed the confusion on his face.

* * *

THWACK!

THUNK!

Cliff swung his bokken at Daniel's shoulder with all the speed he could manage and to his satisfaction the wooden blade connected. Daniel winced, and Cliff was sure he was regretting letting Cliff choose the weapons for their duel.

"Come on, Cliff! Keep your guard up!" Caitlin called. She was the only one watching them spar. Bohdi was off in a corner of the gymnasium lifting weights with no apparent interest on his part. Aki was doing chin-ups while facing away from Cliff and Daniel's duel.

Cliff made a powerful sweep which Daniel raised his weapon to block but Cliff suddenly lunged at Daniel's shin. Daniel clenched his teeth and bounced away on his other foot. "What's wrong, boss? I thought you were better than this."

"I don't do swords," Daniel said. "I was hoping you could teach me something."

Cliff blanched then swung with all his might at Daniel's side. "Stop it!"

"Stop what?" Daniel asked after he barely parried the strike.

"Stop acting like you're my freaking friend!" Cliff snapped. "Maybe Thebes believes that line you fed her, but I don't!"

"What makes it so hard to trust me, Cliff?" Daniel asked, leaning on his bokken.

"There were like ten of us when Thebes was getting a team together. Bohdi, me, Catie, and her," Cliff jerked his thumb in Aki's direction. "We had to go through weeks of tests before we were selected. We were the ones who made the cut."

"We weren't the only ones, Cliff…" Caitlin trailed off as if she'd said too much.

"Point is we earned our places on this team. Thebes didn't do anything to see if you were good enough."

"So that's it," Daniel said simply.

"That's all you got to say for yourself?!" Cliff exploded. Bohdi and Aki stopped what they were doing and walked over toward them in case things got ugly.

"Yeah," Daniel shrugged. "Thebes thought Stellarman really needed another member, and I happened to have Starlight. I was in. Is that what you meant me to do, Cliff? You want me to pass the same tests you guys did?"

Cliff looked at Daniel for a long time without saying anything, then threw his bokken down on the floor as hard as he could and stormed out of the gym. Daniel calmly collected both of the practice weapons and returned them to their rack. Caitlin walked to his side.

"Can we talk?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Great." She took him by the hand led him out of the gym. Cliff was nowhere in sight.

"Daniel," Caitlin said, "I'm sorry about Cliff."

"Why's he so mad at me?"

"He's mad because you're different."

"Yeah, he explained that."

Caitlin shook her head. "Not different like not having to take tests. Different like he doesn't know what you are. He's used to everybody in his life being in nice little categories and being able to tell where a new person goes as soon as he meets them.

"You're not like that," Caitlin went on. "You don't really hate him, it's hard to say if you respect him, and when you tell him what to do you don't yell or make veiled threats. When you talk, you don't say much. He gets mad because he's not sure how else to deal with you."

"Hmmm," Daniel replied.

"Hmmm what?"

"I guess people do say that about me. That I'm hard to figure out."

"Don't you think maybe you should do something about that?" Caitlin suggested. "I mean, you're our leader."

"Like what? Sit everyone down and tell 'em my life story? I don't see anyone else stepping forward to do something like that," Daniel said.

"Daniel," she sighed. "I'm just trying to keep the team from getting any more chaotic."

"I appreciate it, Catie, don't get me wrong, but maybe the bigger problem here is Cliff? Or have we already ruled out an attitude change for him?

Caitlin clenched her fists in frustration. "Don't you think I've tried?"

"Look, let me buy you a drink, okay?"

"If you think Aki won't mind," Caitlin managed a wan smile.

"What--?"

"Cliff told me."

"She was bragging to Cliff, huh? I gotta say I wasn't expecting that," Daniel let out an irritated hiss. Caitlin chuckled a little under her breath.

A minute later they'd arrived in the base lounge and Caitlin had cracked open a can of her favorite diet soda. It shot a refreshing chill throughout her body.

"So you want to know about me, huh?" Daniel asked once Caitlin looked relaxed. "Well, let's see. I'm attending N. Armstrong University, I haven't picked a major yet, I listen to Shattered Manacles, I work nights cleaning my uncle's offices sometimes, and I've known about my powers since I was about nine. How's that?"

"It's a start," she replied.

"Well, since I told you about me, maybe you can tell me something about you. Do you spend all your time watching Cliff?"

"Of course not."

"Really?" Daniel probed.

"What kind of question is that?"

"You just seem like you're always looking out for everyone around you. There's nothing wrong with that, but there's nothing wrong with just kicking back and doing what you want to do sometimes either."

Caitlin turned away from him and took a long swig from her drink. "Just think about it, okay?" Daniel asked. She nodded, suddenly realizing just how tired she felt.

* * *

Prox Countdown stood stock still as Risen hooked numerous metal tubes to his arms and shoulders. What was about to happen wouldn't be pleasant, but he was created to destroy Proxordo's enemies. He wasn't afraid. Across from him the same was being done to Prox Cutter.

Dione floated into the room. "Are you ready to switch to Plan B, gentlemen?" she asked.

"As you say, I was born ready," Prox Countdown grinned.

"Likewise," Prox Cutter replied.

"I'm sorry it's come to this," Dione said.

"Why, Mistress Dione?" Prox Countdown asked. "This is our purpose."

"Yes, yes it is. Prepare yourselves."

The two Truthcraft nodded, then Dione nodded to nearby Risen. Two of them threw switches, sending a flood of crackling red crystal shards tumbling through the tubes. These weren't like the ones Prox Countdown seeded the ground with to produce a crystal spire; these were already charged, and fueled the Fire of Truth permeating their bodies.

The pain…oh, the pain. It was glorious. Prox Countdown's arm-launchers cracked and fell away when the nose of a missile pushed itself out of his forearm. A battery of missiles formed in each shoulder. A row of three cannons extended out of his chest.

Prox Cutter underwent his own twitching, screaming upgrade. The saw on his right hand deformed then stretched outward, becoming the blade of a vicious chainsaw. Radial saws sprouted vertically from the top of his head, his shoulders and torso. After a minute the pain ceased. The transfer was complete.

"Well, gentlemen, I'm happy to say that went splendidly," Dione beamed. The Truthcraft grinned back at her and stomped forward, pulling themselves free of the tubes. "Let's end this madness…"

"Yes ma'am," the Truthcraft said with a salute, their grins unmoved.

* * *

Caitlin looked up from her third diet pop when the door opened and Bohdi, Aki and Cliff ambled into the lounge. Aki turned on the TV, Cliff went up to his favorite videogame, and Bohdi rummaged around until he found the book he'd been reading buried under a pile of dog-eared magazines.

After electronic noises started to assault her from both sides, Caitlin walked over to Bohdi and sat down beside him. He looked up from his book. "Bohdi, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Have you ever been talking to Daniel, then the conversation starts to shift to him, and he turns it around onto you?"

"Maybe he doesn't like to talk about himself," Bohdi offered.

"Don't you think people should get to know their leader?" Caitlin pressed.

"Don't you think a leader should get to know the people under him?" Bohdi countered.

"Don't tell me you're starting in on that too."

"Caitlin," Bohdi said, sounding like his patience was starting to wear thin. She wondered if that was how she starting to sound. "I know you're used to taking on other people's problems. That's noble of you, and Cliff might have landed in juvenile hall growing up if you weren't around. Don't think you have to make every problem in the world yours, though."

"I thought that was what superheroes were supposed to do."

Bohdi shook his head and sighed quietly. "Stellarman's duty is to protect common people from things they can't protect themselves against. If we do too much, people will probably expect us to solve everything for them. They have to be willing to do what needs to be done, too."

Caitlin drained her drink before she said anything. "That sounds kind of like what Daniel said before."

"Maybe we're onto something," Bohdi said and returned to his book.

All at once a klaxon started to blare. "Stellarman, scramble!" Valentine announced over the intercom. "Truthcraft sighted in Cape Lombard!"

* * *

Prox Countdown aimed one arm at a building and sent a mini-missile roaring at it. The building exploded and bits of stone and glass showered the area. As he walked down the street Prox Countdown's very body hummed with power.

"Hold it right there, pal!" Daniel called as he and the rest of the team dashed into view, already in uniform.

"Ah, Stellarman. How good of you to come," he said smugly. They were about to attack when a panel opened on his chest with a digital read-out beneath: 2.30. It began to tick down, 2.29, 2.28... "You thought they called Prox Countdown just for the menace. I'm transmitting power to the crystal bombs underneath this city. If you care to save it, you'd better hurry, children…" So saying missiles launched from his arms and shoulders only for more to spring up and fire as well.

The barrage exploded in front of Stellarman but they came leaping through the blaze, firing their Switch Magnums over and over at their opponent. The blasts only glanced off his body and Prox Countdown peppered them with a salvo from the cannon in his chest. "I look different for a reason, children!" he laughed. Daniel and Cliff achingly climbed to their feet.

"We've gotta hit him with everything we have," Daniel said and looked down at his Battle Dealer. Grimly he slid in his pair of cards.

"Alpha Card Set. Lupus. Arm Card Set. Clash Knuckle."

"Right behind you," Cliff growled and deposited his own cards, his Grav-Hammer appearing in his hands. Daniel charged on the ground while Cliff jumped and soared through the air. Prox Countdown laughed and fired his chest cannons, one swiveling up to take aim at Cliff. The red and yellow streaks were blown halfway back down the street to where their teammates lay. On Prox Countdown's chest the readout had dropped to 1.48.

"Piece of junk!" grunted Cliff. "These things are supposed to make us stronger!"

"What good does that do us if we can't hit the target?" Daniel retorted.

Prox Countdown sneered and leveled one arm at the red and yellow pair and launched another of his missiles. It screamed toward them, but just before it was about to hit the missile exploded in midair about a foot away. A female cry of pain cut the air. Caitlin flickered into visibility in front of them, the front of her uniform badly scorched, and crumpled to the ground.

"Catie!" Cliff screamed. He should've known better than to use her name but he didn't care. Angrily he produced the card of Ursa and slid it into his Battle Dealer. "I'm gonna rip you apart, you worthless piece of shit!"

"Beta Card Set. Ursa." Cliff's Starlight doubled and redoubled until he felt like he could lift anything. He rushed at the monster who took aim and fired a missile from his arm but a glistening beam shot out and detonated the projectile. Aki stood up, her Switch Magnum in hand. The read-out had reached 1.03

"You brats have had it!" Prox Countdown roared and fired every weapon he had at once. Aki, Daniel and Bohdi filled the air with lasers, shooting down the missiles one by one before they could hit Cliff. The shots from the monster's chest cannons hit Cliff but didn't even slow him down before Cliff was close enough to throw a punch that lifted Prox Countdown right off his feet. 0.34.

Prox Countdown aimed his arm at Cliff and fired a missile but Cliff grabbed it and threw it back with all the bear's strength. The missile exploded against the monster's chest and he hit the ground in a blackened heap. The read-out hadn't stopped, though, and now it showed 0.18.

"Catie, are you all right?" Daniel asked.

"Enough to finish this," she said breathlessly. Daniel nodded and deposited a card into his Battle Dealer.

"Arm Card Set. Supernova." The cannon appeared in front of him and each youth seized their own grip. Five streams of Starlight poured into the weapon and just as the read-out reached 0.01, Daniel pulled the trigger. A wide white beam ripped from the Supernova's main barrel and five others, red, black, yellow, blue and pink wrapped around it and blasted through Prox Countdown. He shuddered horribly, then every missile lodged in his body exploded one after the other before he himself finally went up in a ball of fire.

"No sweat," Cliff said, as if the panting from the drain of his Beta Card wasn't obvious.

"Don't pin a medal on yet, kid," Aki admonished him.

"Indeed!" Vayon's image said as it appeared in the sky. "Prox Countdown, rise again, your power magnified by ten! Prox Countdown, show them your power! Make this our enemies' final hour!" A beam shot from his staff and engulfed Prox Countdown's remains. There was a flash and Prox Countdown had been reborn as a giant.

The five warriors each placed the card of their Ptolemic Machine in their Battle Dealer and pressed the middle star on the front. "Alpha Card Set. Summon." The next thing they knew they were in the cockpits of the Ptolemic Machines, bearing down on Prox Countdown.

"Star Cross!" Daniel shouted. As always the vehicles responded, reshaping themselves and locking together until once again they'd become…

"Roaring Sentinel, StellarSavage!"

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" scoffed Prox Countdown. He launched an arm missile but StellarSavage somersaulted out of the way then jumped with all its might at the monster. It raked its claws across Prox Countdown's chest but he fired his chest cannons from point blank, beating StellarSavage back. He pressed the attack and filled the air with missiles. Most landed around StellarSavage, but a few slammed into the robot and blasted it into a skyscraper.

"They just got this working again and already StellarSavage is gonna get trashed…" Aki moaned melodramatically.

"Cliff!" Daniel barked.

"Anything you say, boss-man," Cliff replied. He slid the card for Ursa into a slot on his control panel and a green outline of the bear appeared on a monitor beside it. Back in Sol Dome's hangar Ursa's eyes lit up as it received the signal and lumbered toward the city.

Prox Countdown was about to launch another salvo when Ursa tackled him, knocking him off-balance. "Beta Cross!" Cliff called and his new robot responded. As before, its rear half divided in two and attached to the robot's shoulders. Its middle separated into a pair of gauntlets with heavy knuckles and a new breastplate that attached to StellarSavage's hands and chest. Finally a green helmet drifted out of the Bear's head and down over StellarSavage's own.

"I'll blow you off the face of the Earth!" Prox Countdown snarled. His chest cannons fired, his missiles flew but StellarSavage raised its gauntlets in front of itself, blocking the shots as it stomped to where he stood. As soon as it was close enough StellarSavage reared back a giant fist and smashed the cannons. Another punch came, then another. They were slow but devastating and Prox Countdown had no chance to recover between blows. Finally StellarSavage threw its arms around Prox Countdown.

"Kodiak Crush!" StellarSavage squeezed with all of its might. Prox Countdown's body cracked, then exploded. Another warrior of Proxordo had fallen.

Caitlin was so relieved she passed out in her chair.

"Will you be wanting a bath tonight, Miss Ashford?"

"Not tonight, Laura," Caitlin replied and with trembling hands reached up and closed the blinds. Slowly she started steering her wheelchair to the bed. She didn't feel like living that night.

In a month it would be the eighth anniversary of the fight with Prox Countdown, where she'd taken a missile in the chest, and paid dearly for it. The blast had torn her spine and nerves badly, she later found out. Her parents hadn't been happy to learn she was StellarPink, but that was nothing compared to when the best doctors money could buy could only restore the use of her arms, and barely those. Her days of monster-fighting were over.

Tears welled in her eyes. All the years of putting up with Cliff, of doing everything in her power to ease the suffering of those she met, and this was how she was rewarded? Reduced to a broken doll, shipped out of sight to an assisted living home to spare her the world's scorn?

"Catie?"

She snapped to full alertness. She hadn't heard that voice in years, but there was no mistaking its owner. "Daniel?"

"Are you okay, Catie?"

She was about to yell years of frustration at him when all of a sudden the room was gone. At least the one where she'd been about to fling her useless body into bed. Instead she was already on a bed beneath stiff cotton sheets, with Daniel leaning over her. Him and Cliff. With effort she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed and took a few tentative steps. She sighed with relief.

"You had us worried, Catie," Cliff scolded.

"I knew you'd be fine," Daniel said. "You're tougher than that suit makes you look."

"But--" Cliff started to protest, but Caitlin cut him off with an icy stare.

"I'm tired and we're going home. I'll think about what you said, Daniel."

"Thanks."

Caitlin nodded and put her shoes on. Not waiting for Cliff, she left the infirmary. A surprised Cliff followed her into the hall. "What were the two of you talking about?" he asked.

"He just gave me some advice before." "What advice?"

"Cliff, remember two months ago when dad said he was going to kick you out of the house if you fought one more time? Remember how I spent all night talking him into going easy on you?"

"Yeah! Look, I appreciate it…" he began but Caitlin waved her hand for silence.

"You know I won't be around to do that forever, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on, Cliff, you're not that dumb." She walked on, leaving Cliff to let the weight of her words sink in.


	13. Phase 13: Aloft

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 13: Aloft

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

(Author's note: Sorry if it's been a while since my last installment, but my laptop's hard drive blew up and the first half of this chapter was on it. Which means it had to be redone from scratch. Also, for those curious about what the characters and robots actually look like, message me personally for links)

Even before the sun began pouring its golden rays into the concrete canyons of Cape Lombard to signal the start of a new day, the city was literally buzzing with activity. It had been all through the night. Up the street from where Prox Countdown had made his last stand, a crane lowered a claw into a gaping hole in the pavement and a few seconds later hauled up a hunk of red crystal as tall as a man. Every few seconds it throbbed faintly and inside it glimmered with a white light. Slowly, carefully the crane swiveled around to face the back of a cargo truck, where a pair of workers immediately grabbed the crystal and loaded it into the truck. The crane turned to face the hole and lowered its claw again.

After he'd pulled up another of the crystals the crane operator heard the hum of an engine and looked up to see Daniel--just regular old Daniel for the moment--roll up to the truck on the back of his Charger. "How's it going you guys? About ready to make another trip up to the Dome?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," one of the workers replied. "Another two or three and we should have a full load."

"Good. The sooner we get rid of these damn things the better. You guys have any idea how many how many we still have to pull?"

"Three hundred and seventeen have been shipped to Sol Dome already, sir. We estimate there are about two hundred more."

"So we're gonna be here all day doing this too," Daniel sighed. "People on their way to work ain't gonna be happy with all the crap we're crowding the streets with."

"With all due respect sir, they're probably glad missing a day of work's the least of their problems."

The whirr of the crane seized their attention. Daniel rolled out of the way as the workers delicately guided the next crystal into its spot in the back of the truck. "I'll let you guys get back to work. Call in right away if anything happens, whether it's a nosy kid or a Truthcraft, got that?"

"We will, sir."

Daniel sped away, heading toward the next excavation site on his route. Commander Thebes had reasonably figured that Proxordo might try to stop them during the laborious task of disposing of all those crystals, and so she wanted at least one Stellarman on patrol at all times in case anything happened. Since five a.m. that morning, that had been Daniel. He hadn't been the one to take first watch, though; that had been Aki who was circling the city over and over all through the night. He was, he had to admit, impressed.

His Stellphone beeped at him and Daniel reached down to hit the receive button. "This is Red, go ahead."

"Sir, this is the team at Point E. Your relief is here."

"Already?" Daniel said, then glanced at his watch and realized it was, in fact, 8:03. The end of his patrol shift. "I'll be right there."

"I'll be waiting," Bohdi's voice came over the communicator.

"Keep your eyes open, man. I just know Proxordo's gonna try something…"

If Daniel had only known how right he was.

* * *

As Proxordo's city of Haven drifted along, unseen by either the naked eye or any of humanity's vaunted radar systems, Risen hurried back and forth, casting nervous glances upward and into every side-street they passed.

"Any sign of him?" one asked as she passed another.

He shook his head. "Nothing. His tower is opened but abandoned. Apparently even Dione and Kamandetes don't know where he's gone."

"What about Haikoga? Has anyone asked him?"

The male Risen shuddered. "If you want to see if he knows anything, be my guest." Then he scurried off as fast as he could to resume searching.

If they hadn't been so bent on combing the city for one specific thing, among the entire civilization of Risen surely a few would've noticed a quick, irregular series of tremors on the southeastern side of Haven. Several stories below the street, in a long ovular vault, was a sight that might have dampened the Risens' desire to complete their search.

Vayon swung his staff in a wide arc, trailing a long plume of Fire from the head. Three Risen in battle dress in front of him were batted away by the power channeled through his weapon and slammed into the wall. "My my," Vayon hung his head. "Do you want to become Amp-Risen or not?" "Sir," groaned the closest, "how can we be expected to defeat you, the one who supplies all of our power?"

"You don't know anything, then," Vayon said, uncharacteristically irritated. "You don't defeat me to earn your rank, you learn to endure." He swiped his staff, blowing them into the walls again. Vayon was bringing his staff back again when the door rumbled open and Dione flew into the room, Kamandetes clomping in after her.

"Sir!" Kamandetes exclaimed. "Everyone in Haven is going out of their minds wondering where you are!"

"I'll tell them our next move when I'm perfectly ready. In the meantime, what's wrong with adding a few more officers to the Risen's ranks?"

"Master Vayon," Dione said softly, almost whispering, "Since when do you personally train Amp-Risen?"

Vayon glared at her and tightened his grip on his staff, a tense silence filing the vault. All of a sudden he swung his staff. The Risen flinched, but Vayon was only pointing at the doorway. "You three, out. We'll continue this another time."

"Thank you, sir," one of them said, unable or not bothering to hide the fear in his voice. They dashed out of the room with loud, clanking steps which took a good minute to fade from earshot. Cautiously, Dione floated in front of her leader.

"Master, what troubles you? It's always been my duty to test new Amp-Risen," she asked.

"Hrrgh!" Vayon turned away angrily. "I need you and Kamandetes to prepare another Truthcraft right away. Something even more powerful than what you've produced so far."

"We have another Truthcraft Stellarman has never seen," Dione said. "Surely you'd agree that's the most fearsome yet."

"Indeed I would," Vayon said. "But Stellarman has presented some alarming surprises of late. Their power may not be so insignificant after all. Because of them my grand display was prevented, and a massive amount of Veritium was completely wasted."

"I understand your frustration, Master," Kamandetes said. "Still, the Fire of Truth is unlimited though, isn't it? Surely Stellarman can't compare."

"That it is, loyal Kamandetes, that it is. That doesn't mean my ability to use the Fire without risk doesn't have its limits, though."

Dione drifted in front of Vayon again. "There's quite a difference between your power and theirs. Yours is intertwined with your being. The same for everyone in Haven. Most of Stellarman's is focused in those machines of theirs. If they were to lose access to those…"

"Indeed…Do you have a plan?"

"Yes, but I'll need a new Truthcraft."

"Get started. I'll be there soon," Vayon said. A curtain of Fire rose from the floor and swallowed him up. It dissipated a second later, and he had vanished.

As soon as he was gone Kamandetes grabbed Dione by the arm. "Don't assume my readiness to help you," he growled.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, trying without success to wrench her arm free.

"The Truthcraft are my creations. I see to their construction and I fight beside them. You may come up with strategies, but when was the last time you actually lifted a finger to advance Proxordo's goals? When you led an attack, you hid behind that shadow of yours."

"I cast off my aggressions to be Vayon's right hand. My duty is to offer my counsel to him."

"And more, I suspect," Kamandetes acknowledged with scorn.

Dione managed to pull herself free and quickly floated to a safe distance from her black-armored comrade. "Loyal Kamandetes," she said without anger or condescension. "Your devotion to Proxordo is admirable, but strength isn't the only thing achieving Vayon's vision involves. Each of us has a unique contribution to make."

"Those sound like the words of someone who'd prefer to hide behind her fellows."

"And those sound like the words of one who's learned nothing from his defeats at the hands of children," Dione countered. "Do you think perhaps in Stellarman each member knows their part? Think on it, Kamandetes. I know there's a brain inside that suit of armor."

* * *

Daniel slammed his door shut, staggered into his room and flopped into his favorite beat-up chair. Following some unexplainable urge he surveyed the contents of his living space.

Hanging on the walls were the Shattered Manacles posters he'd had for years, most of them getting pretty worn around the edges. The desk his uncle had bought him when he enrolled at N. Armstrong. The second-hand TV and Gamebox 2.5 hooked up to it with a stack of games next to it. He'd saved up for a month to buy those.

Why did all of them feel like parts of a period in his life that was behind him, like the ragged rabbit doll in the bottom of his closet at his uncle's house?

He hadn't been a Stellarman for that long, and it wasn't something Thebes was expecting him to do forever. Was it? The battles were exhilarating, that he wouldn't deny, but he had a regular future to think about too. He'd wanted to have a major settled on by the start of his sophomore year, he'd wanted to make friends, but ever since that night it seemed like he spent most of his spare time with Stellarman. And he wasn't sure he was quite ready to call them friends.

All of a sudden there was a deafening boom. Daniel ran to the window and peered out. Flying over the campus was a dark, bird-like shape. At first he thought it was another one of Vayon's monsters, but he squinted and realized it was one of the new Ptolemic Machines Aki and Cliff had found. The bird-like one to be exact, colored a regal shade of dark purple, with golden talons and matching feathers protruding from the tips of its wings. As he watched it banked around to make another pass over the campus.

Daniel pressed the transmit button on his Stellphone. "This is Red, identify yourself."

"Hey kid, how's it going?" Aki replied. "What do you think of my new robot?"

"Aki, quit playing around."

"Aw come on, kid! I thought you liked driving around in giant robots!" The bird passed over Armstrong again, and as it did a beam flashed from its underside and through his window. The next thing he knew he was sitting in the rear seat of its cockpit.

"Aki, what do you think you're doing? There isn't an attack, is there?"

"No, I'm just trying out my new robot. Went back to the Dome and waited after my shift to make sure I'd get it right after they finished putting the wings back on."

"Dang. You really wanted this thing."

"Yep. And now I want to show you fast it goes." She pulled back on the controls and the robot ascended straight up like a missile. She leveled it off and then jammed the throttle forward. In less than a second they were out of sight of Cape Lombard.

"This is fast…it suits you," Daniel said.

Aki beamed. "See?? You think so too!"

"So does this formidable new part of our arsenal have a name?"

"Corvus. The crow." It swooped around and started heading back to the city. A few seconds later, Aki noticed a thin plume of smoke curling up from beside the road below them.

"Aki? What is that?" Daniel asked.

"Let's go see," she said and throttled Corvus back. With surprising skill she brought the robot in for a landing by the side of the road.

It didn't take them long to see what the source of the smoke was. One of the cargo trucks bound for Sol Dome was lying there, sliced cleanly in two with its load of crystals scattered all over. Aki checked the cab but quickly climbed back down, shaking her head sadly.

"What do you think happened, kid?" she asked.

"It must've been Proxordo, but…where are they? And why didn't they take their crystals back?"

"Because we thought it'd be even better to take a few samples of Stellarman back with us too." The two whirled around and there stood Kamandetes. Next to him was a Truthcraft with saws sprouting everywhere from his metal body, endowed with new weapons but obviously the last of the gang they'd fought in the last couple battles. Floating slightly behind them was Dione.

"Master Vayon's quite upset with how you've been carting off the Veritium he worked so hard to gather," Prox Cutter said. "Someone needs to be punished and it looks like that's you."

"Cosmic Evolution!" Daniel and Aki yelled. As they had many times before, red and blue fibers wrapped around them, solidifying into uniforms and helmets. Immediately they went into defensive stances. "You want us, come and get us," Aki challenged.

"It doesn't have to be like this, children," Dione smiled. "You're young, you're full of life. Why throw that away fighting a war you may not win? If you two are willing to renounce your membership in Stellarman, I promise that I can see to it that you're spared when Proxordo cleanses this planet."

Daniel knew he shouldn't be listening to the promises of anyone in Proxordo, but there was something about her voice that kept him from rushing to attack. His mind felt numb as she made her offer.

Dione looked so innocent, so pure. So…beautiful. How could Proxordo really be so bad if someone like her was given a position of command? Next to him Aki was just as enrapt as he was, standing as still as a statue.

"I'm listening…" he breathed more than said.

"Good," Dione said and gently cupped the chin of his helmet. Suddenly his back seemed to explode with pain. Daniel and Aki landed on their stomachs and looked up to see Kamandetes and Prox Cutter standing behind them, the knight's sword in hand and the monster's saw-arm still whirring.

"I'm sorry," Dione said, her smile only softened a bit, "but your resistance is something Proxordo can no longer tolerate."

"What did she do? I couldn't even move when she started talking," Aki asked.

"She must've used her powers on us somehow…there's no way I'm listening to anything they try to sell after the crap that's happened to me the last couple days," Daniel replied.

"It sounds like they're bent on resisting us until the end," Dione sighed. "Dishadow, you'd better come out."

Dione's shadow writhed back and forth with a life of its own, then suddenly thrust out its arms revealing six-inch long claws on the end of each finger. The shadow slithered out from under Dione then stood up. It flickered and became the mirror image of Dione, but white clothing and hair, ashen gray skin and bestial yellow eyes.

"So we get to do this the hard way?" she asked sneer.

"Arm Card Set," two Battle Dealers answered.

"I was hoping they'd say that," Kamandetes said and gripped his sword.

* * *

Bohdi pulled his Charger to a stop on a concrete platform overlooking the ocean. For the moment he was concealed by his preferred holographic disguise, that of a burly black teenager. Not that there was anyone around to see him. He walked over to the railing at the edge of the platform and leaned his elbows on top of it, drinking in the view as the waves lapped gently below.

He hadn't regretted coming to Earth once since his first run-in with the SDA. Maybe there were things wrong with this planet, as Vayon kept saying, but at least it wasn't a barren ball of dust like Chahi. He'd never seen so much water in his life before coming to Earth.

As Bohdi looked out over the water, he couldn't help asking himself, why did he really agree to come to Earth? To spare it from a similar fate from that which had befallen Chahi? That's what he'd said at the time. Did he really plan to go back once this business with Vayon was settled? The primitive society that thought he was a freak for having a gift he'd never used to harm anyone but their enemies? Did he have any reason to return to that?

Right when he was about to walk away and resume his patrol, Bohdi looked out over the bay one last time and stopped. Out in the middle of the bay he could see water flowing in a circular fashion, like when a bathtub was emptying. In less than a second it swelled to the length of a football field then all at once it seemed to explode upward. All Bohdi could see was a thirty-five-foot wave racing toward him and he ran back to his Charger as fast as he could. By the time he reached it, he realized the wind was howling in his ears.

Bohdi didn't look back; he sped away from whatever had just arisen as fast as his super-charged engine would allow. Only when another mile rolled over on his odometer and the wind stopped rushing so forcefully did he skid to a stop and look over one shoulder to see what he'd just avoided. His jaw dropped when he saw the answer.

It was one of Vayon's giant monsters, that much was obvious, but he was like no other Truthcraft Bohdi had ever seen. Most of him was composed of a spinning tower of air, which was already ripping trees and cars from the street as it advanced. Just barely visible at the top of the tornado's funnel were the torso and arms of a humanoid body, wrapped in blue armor. On the underside was a giant fan in place of legs, generating the tornado beneath. As Bohdi watched it got too close to its first building and cleaved right through the structure.

Bohdi whipped the Stellphone into his hand and pressed the button for an emergency transmission. "Valentine--"

"Something's just appeared downtown," the robot interrupted. "The Ptolemic Machines have been dispatched and I'm notifying the rest of Stellarman as we speak."

Vayon's monster tore two buildings to broken shards as it pressed onward. It was nothing like the first of Proxordo's mechanized warriors Stellarman had had to fight. Those were dangerous, to be sure, but these last few, they were destruction incarnate. Vayon truly meant to wipe out the world to build his own on its ashes.

Just like the fool on Chahi who'd seen the true nature of the universe through the Fire's light…

A second later Bohdi felt a familiar trembling beneath him and breathed a quick sigh of relief to see the five Ptolemic Machines rushing down the street. Bohdi pressed a button on his Stellphone and his holographic skin melted away, revealing the pale-skinned creature beneath. "Cosmic Evolution!" Black fibers appeared out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around his bulky frame, becoming StellarBlack's familiar helmet and uniform.

As soon as the transformation was complete a beam shot from the central head of his Hydra robot and Bohdi rematerialized sitting in its pilot seat. He waited a second, nothing happened, then said himself, "Stellarman, report in."

"Yellow here," came Cliff's voice.

"Pink here," added Caitlin's.

Another moment passed. "It's just the three of us?"

"Looks like it," Cliff replied. "What? You don't think we can handle this ourselves?"

"That's not what I'm worried about," Bohdi said. "Where are they?"

"They probably snuck away to make out or something," Cliff suggested.

"Do we really have time for this?" Caitlin said in an exasperated voice.

"We sure don't," Bohdi said. "Star Cross!"

The Ptolemic Machines launched into the air as always, folding, reconfiguring and locking together. In a matter of seconds they'd formed into their humanoid configuration and landed again with a dramatic crash.

"Roaring Sentinel, StellarSavage!" The ground at the robot's feet erupted with multi-colored rays of Starlight.

This seemed to get the monster's attention as his humanoid portion swiveled in StellarSavage's direction and he sped at the robot in a zigzag pattern, slicing through a slew of buildings as he went. As he closed in the winds intensified violently and StellarSavage was nearly blown off its feet.

"Call Ursa!" Bohdi yelled. "Maybe the extra weight will keep us from getting blown away!" Cliff slipped the card with the bear's image into a slot on his console and in a burst of green Starlight the support robot appeared beside StellarSavage as it struggled against the wind which started to whistle past even faster.

"Beta Cross!" The three cried and the combination began. Ursa disassembled then attached to StellarSavage as shoulder armor, breastplate, helmet and reinforced fists. The monster closed in on them, but Bohdi's prediction was correct and StellarSavage wasn't pushed back as hard as before.

Awkwardly it stomped toward the monster and threw a punch at the monster's exposed torso. All at once he grinned and the tornado expanded, blowing StellarSavage a hundred feet off the ground only for the robot to come smashing down on top of a cluster of small buildings.

"You poor, stupid children!" the monster laughed above his own roaring winds. "You can't hurt air, even with fists as big as those! You've got no chance against Prox Hurricane!"

"What we do?" Cliff asked.

"If only we could reach high enough to hit the actual monster, we might stand a chance," Caitlin offered. "Right now, I just don't see how to get through his defenses."

Bohdi activated StellarSavage's communicator. "Daniel, Aki, we need you in the city now! Bring Corvus! It's our only chance!"

The only response was a hiss of static then the next thing they knew StellarSavage was being picked up by the wind and tumbled end over end. It crashed into the top of a skyscraper, knocking the top off the building before rolling roughly to a stop on the ground.

"The new kid better have a damn good reason for not being here," Cliff half-growled, half-groaned.

"Have a little more faith in your teammates, Cliff," Bohdi said while Prox Hurricane raced toward them.

* * *

Dishadow swung her claws but Daniel blocked them with the Clash Knuckle then lunged and landed a solid blow on her chest. He followed it with a punishing kick and was about to deliver another when the dark reflection seemed to disappear. The next thing Daniel felt was her claws digging into his back.

Aki wished she could come to his aid, but Kamandetes swiped his tall sword with surprising speed. It was all she could do to ward off the repeated blows with her azure scimitars. She heard the revving of an engine and ducked just in time to avoid Prox Cutter thrusting his chainsaw arm at her neck. She lashed out, gashing his armor with her blade, but Kamandetes slashed at her from the other side and she had to somersault away from both knight and monster.

"Taste this!" Prox Cutter laughed. The saws lodged in his limbs whirred then launched in a cloud toward Aki. One slashed against her shoulder, another against her side. She gasped from the pain but before she could recover Prox Cutter shot past, propelled by jets on his back and struck her on the chest as hard as he could with his chainsaw arm.

"Paradise Breaker!" Kamandetes shouted. The blade of his sword glowed, changing into a giant snaked. It slithered through the air, fangs glistening, in Aki's direction. She took off at a run but the snake followed, stretching outward. Aki turned and slashed at the snake with both her swords but it darted around them and sank its fangs into her shoulder. She screamed and fell to her knees.

"Aki!" Daniel yelled. Dione flew in front of him and light exploded from her outstretched hand right in front of his face. He staggered forward, blinded but throwing a clumsy punch. She easily dodged it and Dishadow gleefully kicked his legs out from under him.

"Not so tough when there's only two," Dishadow grinned. "Why don't we cut 'em up and listen to the screams for a little while?"

"I wish we could," Kamandetes said ruefully. "But Vayon's had enough of them and so have I. Prox Cutter, finish the red one off first."

"With pleasure, sir," he revved his chainsaw arm to comply.

"Get…away from him!" Aki grunted. Suddenly she slipped a card into her Battle Dealer. "Beta Card Set. Corvus."

Aki jumped toward Prox Cutter and screamed "Blue Murder!" Aki stabbed at the monster's head with one sword then again with the other, like a flock of crows pecking and scratching at an enemy. The blades glowed a dark, almost malevolent blue that spread over her entire body as she landed attack after attack. Prox Cutter grunted in pain and released the saws lodged in his limbs in a swarm at Aki but they bounced off the energy covering her and her swords. She stabbed both simultaneously and Prox Cutter screeched before spinning away from the impact to stop beside the Kamandetes and Dione.

Daniel struggled to his feet. The world was starting to focus again, enough for him to see he was holding the right card.

"Arm Card Set. Supernova," announced Daniel's Battle Dealer. In a red flash the enormous laser cannon appeared and he and Aki grabbed it. The red and blue barrels blazed then fired. The main barrel released it thick white beam and the others coiled around it as it roared at their enemies. Prox Cutter stumbled in front of the others, letting out a strangled cry as the combined beam rammed into his torso.

"Master…Dione…get away! Make a stronger Truthcraft…for the next battle!" he gasped, then collapsed, crackled with power, then exploded.

"Want to see what this does for yourselves?" Daniel yelled.

"Try it," Kamandetes growled and brandished his sword. Dishadow flexed her claws.

"Fire," Daniel said, hoping they didn't hear how short of breath he felt. Again the Supernova's red and blue barrels lit up, red weaker this time. Again the main beam fired, again Daniel and Aki's Starlight coiled around it. Before it hit home their three opponents reached out and blocked it, Kamandetes with his blade, Dishadow on her long claws, and Dione with a shield of light from her cupped hands. They held the raging beam there for a second then leaned back, deflecting it into the sky.

"They're too strong," Aki whispered.

"Or killing the monster took too much out of us," Daniel whispered back as the two closed in. "I have an idea. When I say now, shoot your Switch Mangum at the truck then make a break for Corvus."

"You're gonna blow up the crystals?? Who knows big the explosion'll be?"

"No other way. Now!" Daniel drew his Switch Magnum and reluctantly so did Aki, then they whirled around and fired the guns into the remains of the cargo truck.

"You're insane!" Kamandetes screamed.

"We're gonna stop you no matter what, that's what we are!" Daniel yelled. He and Aki broke into a run. Behind them the crystals hummed ominously. A curtain of Fire surrounded the three commanders, but Daniel and Aki were too busy running for their lives to see if the blinding blast that came next caught them. Aki flipped into the pilot's seat and launched into the air without making sure Daniel had gotten to his seat. The robot climbed high, even faster than it had gone when Aki was trying it out before. She deliberately avoided looking at the spedometer, though, as her breakfast started to rise in her gut. There was a white flash around the edge of the windscreen, then it was gone again.

"That was close," Daniel mumbled, picking himself up off the floor.

"You psycho," Aki chortled. "You almost got us killed too."

"Almost," Daniel said and smiled behind his helmet. "Anyway, it looks like we got other problems." He pointed through the windscreen. Aki had no trouble seeing what he meant: a giant tornado was blowing through the middle of town, tossing around a colorful object that looked an awful lot like StellarSavage.

"What do you say? One more fight?" Daniel asked.

"I'll do anything with you, kid," Aki chuckled and steered Corvus toward town.

"Serpent Salvo!" The Hydra's heads on StellarSavage's shoulders swiveled forward and sprayed laser fire up at Prox Hurricane but the monster laughed and spun out of the way. The next thing they knew Prox Hurricane had rushed forward and engulfed their robot. StellarSavage was spun around and around like a top, then it suddenly stopped and they found themselves in the air hundreds feet above the ground.

Caitlin let out a scream as the robot dropped like a stone. They seemed to fall forever, then all at once they'd hit the ground. Explosions went off all over StellarSavage and Ursa's pieces flew off, reforming into the bear robot a few blocks away.

"He's too much for us," Bohdi said breathlessly.

"Everything's got a weakness somewhere!" Cliff cried.

"Maybe, children, but it doesn't look like you've got what it takes to find it," Prox Hurricane laughed. He sped by, cutting a building in two with his tornado that fell on top of StellarSavage prompting another fountain of sparks.

"I suppose I ought to just finish you off and be done with it," Prox Hurricane yawned. He closed in. The wind rose in pitch. He was almost on top of StellarSavage when a dark blur flew by, striking Prox Hurricane across the shoulder. "What was that…?"

"It's called Corvus, they tell me," Daniel's voice came over StellarSavage's communicator.

"Where the hell were you?!" Cliff snapped.

"Stories later, kid, world-saving now," Aki replied. "Beta Cross!"

StellarSavage shakily rose to its feet. Corvus dipped behind it, then separated into pieces. Its breastplate detached, revealing a helmet with a winged crest on the brow beneath. The first affixed to StellarSavage's chest while the helmet slid neatly on over its head. Corvus's legs affixed to the gestalt's forearms, providing slashing talons. Plates on the wings fitted themselves on StellarSavage's shoulders and the wings did likewise onto its back.

"I'll spin you to bits!" Prox Hurricane surged forward, hoping to engulf StellarSavage before it could make use of its additions, but StellarSavage beat its new wings and soared over the monster, delivering a punishing kick to the monster's head as it went past. The monster's power was a potent one, but now that StellarSavage could get above his artificial hurricane to attack he was like a turtle out of its shell.

Prox Hurricane started his fan going as fast as it could turn and blasted after StellarSavage. As he ascended he picked up huge hunks of rubble in his rushing winds. He flew above the robot and released a hunk of concrete that smashed against its shoulders. He dropped another but StellarSavage rolled onto its back and snatched the makeshift bomb out of the air, then flew up and smashed it into his fan. A terrific explosion issued from Prox Hurricane's underside, then the hurricane dissipated and he began to fall.

"Should we put him out of his misery?" Daniel asked.

"Let 'em see what they get for screwing with Stellarman," Cliff answered.

"Let's do it," Aki said. "Scavenger Strike!"

StellarSavage went into a power dive, aiming itself right at Prox Hurricane. It held its talons out in front of it as it blasted downward. The talons shimmered with Starlight as they neared their target, then plowed through Prox Hurricane. Cracks crept all over Prox Hurricane's body from the gaping hole they'd left, then with a strangled cry he erupted into a gigantic ball of flame.

StellarSavage landed on the beach at the edge of Cape Lombard. A long trench marked where Prox Hurricane had made his way into the city, but a fading glowing in the midday sky was all that was left of the menace himself.

"Well, guys, we did it again," Aki breathed.

"You say it like there was ever any doubt," Cliff retorted.

"Be quite for a second," Bohdi interrupted. "Did you hear that?"

A moment passed, but then they did hear something. A sinister crackling noise from somewhere in the bowels of the robot which was quickly growing louder. Soon the entire robot was shaking frighteningly and energy formed colorful and dangerous-looking arcs all over the consoles.

"What's going on?" Aki said.

"I'm happening!" a mocking voice answered. On a diagnostic screen appeared the image of a sleek metallic face, featureless except for two red eyes and a grinning mouth. "You've played with this toy long enough, time to let Prox Override have a turn!"

"Into Corvus, quick!" Daniel shouted. Stellarman quickly formed into a ragged procession swarming over the seats and consoles to get to Corvus's cockpit. A second later they had struggled into the control center of the Beta Unit and its entrance hatch had shut behind them.

"Beta Split!" Aki commanded and immediately Corvus's pieces split from StellarSavage. Its talons reattached to its main body, the helmet affixed to the bird's chest before the breastplate clamped over it. As soon as Corvus was back in one piece it flew to a safe distance to see what was happening. StellarSavage twitched and staggered drunkenly back and forth. Suddenly it stopped and its eyes turned a menacing red.

"We have your greatest weapon now, Stellarman!" Prox Override's voice hailed them. "You may have won today, but let's see how you manage without this big lug in your corner!"

As he spoke a small point of light formed beside their hijacked robot, but it quickly swelled until it was a fiery rip in the air as tall as StellarSavage itself. The robot lumbered into the portal which shut behind it, leaving a stunned Stellarman in its wake.


	14. Phase 14: Blossom

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 14: Blossom

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Note: I'm going to start referring to the heroes by color in their powered identities now.

With a Herculean effort Daniel pried his eyes open but right away he regretted it. The room was hellishly bright, and as if that wasn't bad enough it sounded like someone was playing the drums somewhere above him. After a minute he realized it was just someone walking around.

Was he hung over?

What the hell had happened? He remembered they'd tried again and again to call StellarSavage back with their Battle Dealers, but never received so much as a blip in response. The team didn't speak a word on their trip back to Sol Dome after a Truthcraft had stolen StellarSavage. Nobody had wanted to leave while he and Bohdi recounted everything that had happened to the Commander herself, either. A chill fell over the briefing room that only got colder while they waited for Maria Craice Thebes to respond

"So StellarSavage was stolen by Proxordo," she'd said after she heard the whole story. She didn't add, "This happened because you let your guard down," or "You've put the whole world in danger with this slip-up." They'd been expecting an onslaught of reproaches like that.

"Yes, Commander. I'm prepared to take responsibility," Daniel said.

Commander Thebes looked at him funny, then, of all things, laughed. "Daniel, you sound like you're in an overwritten sci-fi movie. None of you could've seen that coming."

"Even so, StellarSavage is gone," Bohdi reminded them. "We'll be in deep trouble next time Proxordo sends one of those giants of theirs. Who knows when that'll be?"

"I admit this is a problem," said Commander Thebes, "but beating our heads against the wall won't get us anywhere. Caitlin, I believe it's your turn to supervise the crystal removal next. Everyone else, go home and take it easy."

"Well, that wasn't what I was expecting," Aki said once they were back in the hall.

"She has a point, though," Daniel replied. "It won't do us any good to freak out over losing the robot."

"So what do you recommend, new meat?" Cliff asked. "We just go home and pretend it didn't happen?"

"No, I'm recommending we do like Thebes said and chill out. Patrol duty aside, forget about Stellarman for one night. If Proxordo shows up again they'll call us and we'll figure out what to do."

"You got a lot of faith in these guys," Cliff said.

"You should try it sometime, Cliff," Daniel calmly shot back. Aki hooked her arm through his.

"If we're taking it easy for tonight, why don't I introduce you to the family?"

Daniel smiled but gently slipped his arm free. "Sorry Aki. Forget all about Stellarman for one night, remember?"

Everything became a blur after that. Daniel remembered getting back to Armstrong University and running into Johnny, who asked him right away to an off-campus party with "tons of hot chicks." He seemed to remember dancing with a girl who had curly blonde hair and violet eyes. Something about holding a sloshing bottle in either hand. After that, nothing until just now when he woke up and was rewarded with a splitting headache.

He put his left hand down and started pushing himself up when he heard a noise like someone gagging. "What the hell are you doing?!" a woman's voice demanded. Squinting his eyes Daniel realized to his alarm that he'd braced himself by pressing his hand down on the stomach of a girl who'd been lying on the floor next to him.

A girl with a curly blonde ponytail, violet eyes and the longest eyelashes he'd ever seen. For a second he was too busy being lost in those eyes to notice she was shooting him an annoyed glare.

"Would you put your hand somewhere else, please?"

"What?"

"Your hand, stupid."

"What? Oh…oh!" Daniel flopped onto his back in an effort to move his hand off her stomach and landed with a thud. The girl sat up and looked down at him, a wry sort of smile on her face.

Feeling like he was trying to move Mount Everest with his pinky, Daniel managed to get his feet flat on the floor and sat up. "Sorry. I guess I partied a little too hard last night," he said, although he reasoned there were worse places he could've touched her.

"Forget it. Help me up, okay?" she said, sounding a lot less annoyed. Daniel took her hand and pulled her up. Her skin was soft, but her grip was surprisingly strong. As he pulled her up Daniel couldn't help thinking she looked an awful lot like a young Robin Wright. There was something else about her, though, something about those eyes, those plump, inviting lips…

"Hey. What are you staring at?" she asked, annoyance creeping back in.

"Nothing. Look, you up for some breakfast…Erica?" he guessed from the pink ERI stenciled on the back of the bright purple phone peeking out of her pocket.

She smiled a bit groggily. "Sure, I guess I owe you that. Danny."

"Daniel," he corrected her.

She just giggled at him.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later they were sitting in the little diner across from campus with the faded sign out front nobody could read. A chubby middle-aged waitress put a glass of orange juice in front of Daniel and a steaming mug of brown Columbian sludge in front of Erica. Without adding anything or even blowing on it she picked it up and took a sip. Daniel winced.

"So…how long you been at Armstrong?" Daniel asked. Even though he could feel his limbs again he knew he was still worn out from whatever happened the night before and really ought to go nap until his afternoon classes. Somehow, though, couldn't tear his eyes away from the girl sitting across from him.

"About two months. I was going to school upstate but this one has a better business curriculum. My mom pulled some strings and got them to let me in."

"Really?" Daniel said, and realized that was a little after he became StellarRed. "You must've liked this place a lot to transfer after the semester started."

"Not really," Erica frowned. "It was my mom's idea. I was just getting settled where I was, and the reason I was at that party was to meet people here."

"Guess I wasn't the only one lucky enough to have a parent like that…" Daniel mumbled.

Erica swallowed a mouthful of coffee. "Hmmm? You say something?"

"I said I wonder when those eggs are getting here."

"No you didn't. You said something about having a parent like that."

"Well I do. At least, I did."

"You want to talk about it?" Erica offered.

"Look," Daniel said with his best diplomatic smile, "no offense, but I haven't told anybody at Armstrong about that, and I only met you last night."

She sighed and adjusted a pendant around her neck carved from in the shape of a rose. "Okay. Since we're not talking about our parents, what do you want to talk about?"

"Well, there's the obvious question. Why'd your transfer to monster central?"

"There were only a couple back then. Besides, this is the only city I heard about with its own superhero team."

Daniel clenched his teeth. "I hope we can count on that protection."

"Why not? You think they're just gonna leave?" "You didn't see how their robot walked into one of those flaming portals, I'm guessing?"

Erica shook her head. "I was kind of busy hiding from the tornado monster. What about you?"

"Okay, stupid question. What were you talking about when you said you owed me?" Daniel asked when something on his waist bleeped up at him. He looked down to see the signal for an incoming transmission blinking on his Stellphone. The red signal.

An emergency.

Of course, Daniel fumed inwardly, it figures Proxordo would attack while we're weak. And I'm the one who told the team to forget about the team…

"Would you give me a sec, Erica?" Daniel said and walked to the back of the diner. "What is it, Val?"

He could've sworn the first sound that came over the transmission was an electronic giggled. "Daniel, you called me Val."

"You okay? What's the emergency?"

"I like how that sounds," the robot went on. "But I'm calling because we detected a portal near your location."

"Just like I thought," Daniel sighed. "I'll check it out."

"I don't think that'll be necessary…" Valentine said, sounding embarrassed.

"Now hear this!" a voice roared from outside. Daniel and Erica rushed to the window, where they saw a column of Risen was marching down the street. "Stellarman, your power has been broken!" the one in front boomed, his armor more ornate than the rest.

"If you want to save the people of this city from complete annihilation, you will give yourselves up to our forces at once. This is not an idle threat!" They marched on and a block later he called out the same warning.

"Daniel," Erica whispered. "Did they really steal Stellarman's robot?"

"That's what it looked like to me," Daniel whispered back. "We better get out of here."

"Yeah, I think you're right," she said, then without waiting for an answer grabbed him by the wrist and hustled toward the back door. She threw it open, dragged him out, and didn't stop running until they were a good five blocks away from campus. Peering out from between two buildings they saw another group of Risen marching along, making the same warning as the one they saw before. Erica pulled Daniel back out of sight and stood there panting for a minute, then looked up at him. "What do you think Stellarman's gonna do? Are they gonna give in?"

"You bet your butt they won't, and even if they did I don't trust Proxordo to leave Cape Lombard alone. Vayon's changed since he stopped taking new members, all he cares about is his 'order' now."

Erica knitted her brow. "How do you know so much?"

"I--" Daniel started, then stopped and realized he'd let his guard slip. The question slipped into his mind, was he supposed to keep his identity secret? Thebes had never said anything about it. Obviously he couldn't do things like invite his friends over to Sol Dome or sell a line of StellarRed action figures, but did that mean he couldn't tell his secret to anyone?

"Never mind," Erica said and peeked into the street again. "We need to find a better hiding place than this."

"Yeah," was all Daniel said. She took his arm again and slipped back into the alleys. They ran for another two or three block and were about to dash into the street when all of a sudden the asphalt split and a brown tendril pushed its way into view. It lashed out, caving in a storefront next to them, then came swinging toward the two students. Erica screamed.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Daniel yelled at the top of his lungs. Before the familiar red glow had even started to fade his cards were in his Battle Dealer.

"Arm Card Set. Clash Knuckle. Alpha Card Set. Lupus."

"Heavy Fang Chop!" StellarRed yelled, bringing his glowing gauntlet down on the tendril. It swung the other way from the force of his attack, then stopped and slithered in the direction of this threat. He turned and barked at Erica, "Get away!" right before the tendril bashed into him. He chopped it again, not leaning on his Starlight in case he had to keep it up, but the tendril seemed to bounce straight back up and caught him on the forehead. His head jerked back and he fell like a load of bricks. The tendril thumped into Red's chest then pressed, grinding him into the ground.

And as it did Erica just stood there, an expression of mixed horror and surprise. Red reached up with all his flagging might and grabbed the tendril with his left arm and lifted the other again. "Heavy Fang Chop!" He aimed at the dent he'd left from his first attack, and this time he sliced the end off. To his surprise Red realized just how easy it had been to summon his Starlight for that last attack. It had taken no effort at all--even with the Battle Dealer streamlining the process there was at least a little effort involved. The tendril recoiled from the attack before slipping back underground. Red got up, coughing and clutching his chest. "Why didn't you run?" he gasped.

"You just turned into a superhero right in front of me, it kinda took me by surprise!" Erica retorted.

He sighed. "You know my dirty little secret, but I need to get the others and find out what's going on."

"But if your robot's really gone, what'll you do?"

"I don't know!" he cried. "But whatever it is I don't think I can do it alone. Look, get going to that hiding place, we'll figure out what this means later. If they see you with me like this you'll just get attacked too."

"How right you are, StellarRed," growled a voice nearby. Scuttling down the street on all fours, his countless knife-like teeth bared, was Haikoga. "I don't suppose you're planning to drop your arms and come peaceably."

He didn't actually wait for an answer. Instead he threw open his gaping jaws and spit a crackling fireball straight at them. Red desperately batted it away with his gauntlet but in the next second Haikoga lunged and seized Red in his jaws. The reptilian general shook his catch violently, but that wasn't the worst of it. Another fireball came shooting up from Haikoga's gullet and hit Red in the side. He tried to cry out, to give voice to the agonizing pain, but all that came out was a weak gurgle.

* * *

On the other side of Cape Lombard a pair of SDA technicians were running for their lives down the subterranean tunnel where they'd been excavating the last of a load of Veritium crystals. They scrambled up into the sun and into the back of the truck where the crystals had been loaded, right before a wriggling brown tendril appeared behind them.

"Get us out of here!" one of them yelled at the driver. The truck started to peel away but the tendril slipped in between its rear tires and levered the truck onto its side. It slipped inside, found the nearest crystal, and cracked it with a sharp blow. The tip of the tendril pushed its way inside the crystal, and slowly the white glow inside dimmed as it flowed into the tendril. Once it was gone the tendril broke another crystal open and began to drain it as well.

"Switch Magnum!" A laser ripped into the tendril. It shook and writhed back out of the truck, leaking a trail of green slime as it went. Cliff ran up, already transformed into StellarYellow, and fired again as the tendril slipped down the hole. "Figures something'd finally happen on my shift," he mumbled. "Hey, you in the truck! You okay??"

A technician appeared from the truck's trailer. "I'm fine, sir, but a crystal fell on Parker. His leg's broken. That thing, though…it was breaking open the crystals and absorbing their energy."

"Absorbing their energy…? Look, will you guys be okay if I go after that tentacle thing?"

"Go after it, sir! It's more important!"

Yellow flipped open his Stellphone. "Yellow here, the truck at point…P-7 was just attacked by some kind of tentacle. Send someone for the techs, I'm going after the tentacle." He ran to the hole where the tendril had disappeared and jumped in. Yellow tapped the side of his helmet and green lines appeared in front of him outlining the curves of the tunnel walls. Just at the end of his vision he could make out the tip of the tendril as it slid away into the darkness.

"You guys never stick around when the fight gets rough for you!" Yellow call tauntingly as he ran after it. He fired his Switch Magnum into the gloom but the only response was silence once the sizzling of the beams faded. He ran on and a minute later came to the end of the tunnel where a rust-pitted ladder led back above ground and a hole in the wall as thick as basketball. Just like the tendril he'd followed down there.

The ladder led into a warehouse filled with stacks and stacks of crates, but beyond them Yellow could see an object that looked an awful lot like a seed pod. It must've been a good fifteen feet tall, and every other second it throbbed with a sound like a heart beating. Then again, he didn't doubt there was something alive inside it. He slinked toward the pod and wasn't surprised to see a mass of brown tendrils sticking out from the bottom and burrowed into the ground.

Like roots.

Switch Magnum in hand he crept closer, looking through every crevice between boxes, but aside from himself and the pod, the warehouse appeared devoid of life. Suddenly Yellow noticed the sound of a car door slamming and trained his gun on a door near the source of the noise. Footsteps. The door flew open and daylight flooded into the warehouse. A dark shape formed in the doorway. Yellow tightened his grip on the trigger.

"Yellow? Is that you?"

"Bohdi?"

Indeed, the bulky figure could only have belonged to StellarBlack. As he entered, the all-too-familiar Blue and Caitlin, unmistakable in pink, followed. "You guys got here fast," Yellow observed. "New kid get lost?"

"Could you please stop calling him that?" Pink moaned. "And maybe stop being so critical?"

"He's the leader, right? They stole StellarSavage, so he's responsible for lettin' it happen. That's not why we're here, though, is it?" Yellow gestured with his gun toward the pod.

"Nasty," Blue recoiled.

"What is it?" Pink asked, gazing up at the pod with horrified fascination.

"Don't know," Yellow said, "but one of those roots apparently was breaking open the crystals we're shipping out of here and sucking up the juice inside."

"Then we'd better destroy it before it has enough to do whatever it's doing," Black said. "Everyone, get ready for the Trigger Fury."

"We can't use the Supernova?" asked Blue.

"Red has the card for that."

"Seriously, where is that kid?" Yellow asked. "You guys heard me call in, why didn't he?"

"There's Risen all over town. Maybe he ran into some of them," Blue suggested.

"Ahem," Black coughed and pulled his gun from its holster.

"Oh yeah." The others armed themselves and took aim as well. "Trigger Fury!" Blue called as they fired. Their beams blended into one before colliding with the pod. They bored into its surface, and then…dissipated. The only reminder of their attack was a small black scorch mark on the side of the pod.

"We don't have enough firepower to get through that thing by ourselves," Black sighed. He unclipped his Stellphone. "StellarRed, report in. We need your help right away, there's a…" He stopped mid-sentence. The pod made a revolting squelching sound right before it let out a hiss, spewing green particles into the air, then fell open.

Sitting inside the remains of the pod was a woman. Her form was bare of clothing and hair, her smooth skin the purest ivory white. Her eyes were closed as if asleep, but as they watched she opened them revealing limpid green eyes. She smiled invitingly, and it was only then they noticed the mass of roots was sprouting from below her waist.

"Welcome, friends," she said in a soft, musical voice. "Welcome to the birth of a new age."

"No thanks," Yellow growled and leveled his gun at her. He squeezed the trigger and sent a laser beam speeding toward her but a wall of leaves erupted from the ground. The laser hit them and glanced off. As it did a gale blew through the warehouse, whipping the leaves at Stellarman like countless daggers. The leaves bit into their uniforms and before Stellarman had the chance to recover a pair of roots exploded out of the ground and whipped them off their feet.

"There's no hope for you this time, Stellarman," she laughed. As she did leaves and vines sprouted from her head and arms. "The power of the Veritium your people were stealing from this city flows through me now. Since I've awakened I'm even more than Prox Countdown and Cutter were after they were blessed with its touch."

"You talk big for someone who hasn't done anything yet," Blue snapped and readied her scimitars.

"Power is power, child," the monster smiled. "And you'll see Prox Flora has no equals."

"Beta Card Set. Corvus."

"Blue Murder!" Blue jabbed and slashed with all her might at the monster's head but Prox Flora's roots wrapped together forming a vicious ball-like shape that batted Blue aside.

"Let me show you how it's done," Yellow said and deposited the bear's card in his Battle Dealer. The ball-root swung toward him but Yellow dug in his heels and caught it with both arms. He yanked hard on the roots but Prox Flora thrust out her hand and jets of green pollen sprayed from her fingertips. They covered his visor and his grip slackened a fraction in surprise. She suddenly hurled a handful of seeds that exploded, flinging him across the room.

"Just like those two to rush in," Black sighed. "I'll get its attention, then you go in, understood?"

"Alpha Card Set. Vulpecula," her Battle Dealer announced.

"Good." Black uncoiled the Stellash the second it appeared in his hand. "Serpent Slayer!" The whip shimmered with dark Starlight before he swung it with all his might at Prox Flora and dug a narrow gash across her chest. White light that billowed like fire seeped from the wound and Prox Flora turned to Black with an aggravated look on her pale white face. A root swung at him but Black jumped over it and struck at her again, cutting open her arm, then opening another wound beside it.

"I was going to grant you a quick death," she hissed.

"Who says I want any favors from you?" Black shot back and cocked back his arm. He swung one more time, slicing into the monster's belly. She grimaced, then all of a sudden thrust her arms straight up and sprayed pollen all over the room. Black choked as a person's outline was revealed behind Prox Flora by the falling powder. StellarPink. Just as she was about to throw her boomerang a root careened out and knocked her down. She flickered into visibility as she hit the ground.

"You underestimate me, StellarBlack!" the monster cackled. "You'd do well not to be so sure of yourselves!" She threw a handful of seeds that latched onto Black's uniform. Before he could clear them away they sprouted into vines and coiled around his arms and legs. Seemingly just to add insult to injury she knocked him over with a roots.

Prox Flora laughed before there was a flash and she'd become twice as large as before. There was another flash and the ceiling split open…

* * *

Chunks of cinderblock were strewn all over the room as StellarRed went sailing through the wall of a store. A few people who'd been doing early-morning shopping when the Risen appeared scattered to the other side of the room as Red landed.

Haikoga came barreling through the opening, jaws wide open to seize Red again. Weakly Red raised his Clash Knuckle and jammed it into the reptilian general's mouth as his jaws snapped down, wedging them open. He fumbled for his Switch Magnum, hoping to squeeze off a few shots into Haikoga's vulnerable mouth, but Haikoga bit down suddenly and Red's gauntlet shattered. He just barely yanked his arm back in time before Haikoga's mouth snapped shut.

"I'd been looking forward to single combat with one of you," Haikoga sighed. "I was hoping for more."

"You caught me on an off day."

"Hah!" Haikoga laughed. "Where I'm from, an off day is your last!"

He opened his mouth and expelled another fireball that exploded near Red's feet and blew him through the front window. His uniform flickered. When he hit the ground, he was Daniel Reese again.

Something pulled on his arm. "Come on, we have to get out of here!"

"Erica?"

"Come on!" she yanked him up and ran awkwardly to an office building across the street. She all but threw Daniel inside, peered through the door and swung it closed behind them.

"Did they see us?" Daniel moaned.

"I don't think so," Erica panted. "Can you call your friends?"

"Not anymore," Daniel said as he held up a charred mess that had been his Stellphone before Haikoga's last fireball. "Besides, if I know Proxordo at least one of their monsters is skulking around out there somewhere."

Erica gently touched his forehead and pulled back her hand with blood on her fingertips. "Oh my God, you're bleeding!" Daniel was about to say it was nothing when she tore off the bottom of her shirt and started dabbing up the blood. He did manage to free the attention to hear Haikoga yelling outside.

"You! Stop yelling that stupid proclamation and help me find StellarRed! He's around here somewhere!" The familiar clanking of Risen footsteps closed in.

"Erica, get out the back. They want me, not you."

She didn't answer.

"Erica?" Daniel asked. He turned around and saw she had a phone pressed to her ear. A Stellphone just like the one he'd had until a minute ago.

"This is Erica, requesting permission to break cover."

" 'Break cover'?" Daniel asked, wondering what he'd stumbled into this time.

Erica didn't appear to hear him. After a second of muffled chatter from the other end she continued. "I know, but we're about to be attacked and Daniel's too weak to fight. Even if he did, he'd be unarmed." There was more chatter from the phone, but Daniel's attention was focused on the sound of the front door caving in. Suddenly Erica grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Take it easy, Daniel. I'll handle it from here."

"What's going on?" he asked groggily, but Erica pushed him out of sight as Haikoga charged in all fours at the head of a group of Risen.

"Where's StellarRed?" he growled. "Rose Nexus, Unlock!" Erica yelled in reply. The pendant she wore shimmered, then covered her with purple light. It solidified into a familiar skintight uniform with golden ornamentation on the chest and a matching helmet with a tinted visor. "Blooming Salvation, StellarRose!" she yelled, going into a fighting stance.

"You've got to be kidding me," Daniel said in disbelief.

"So I'll bring back two instead of one. Risen!" Haikoga barked. They marched around him to attack.

Rose calmly pulled a small gold and purple shield from her belt. "Thorn Fencer," she said and a slender blade sprang from the upward end. The first Risen to get close to her was the first to wish he hadn't. The second was the one he careened into as he flew backward off Rose's sword. Three more ran up to her the same time but she easily disarmed the first, dodged a swipe from the second before knocking his torch out of his hand, and flipped over the third and kicked him from behind before he could even use his weapon, then landed deftly at the back of the room.

"Thorn Sniper," Rose said next. The blade of her sword retracted into the hilt and a gun barrel extended in its place. An overconfident Risen charged at her but she somersaulted away and while rolling she took aim and shot the torch from the hand of every remaining Risen one after another.

"I can see I've got to do everything myself, as usual," Haikoga growled. He stormed toward Rose on all fours and chomped down on her ankle, but she didn't make a sound. Instead she whipped out a card like the ones the rest of Stellarman used in their Battle Dealers.

"Equuleus, Power!" she cried and the card turned into purple light that flowed down her arm and over her body. She threw a chop at the base of Haikoga's neck. His jaws opened just a bit, but that was long enough for Rose to whip her leg free, grab him by one arm and fling him back out of the building.

"Enough!" Haikoga bellowed and reared back to breathe his fire at StellarRose, who simply produced another card.

"Cygnus! Speed!" Again the card turned into light and covered Rose's body for a second, but it was a softer shade this time, and just as the fireball left Haikoga's mouth She turned into a purple blur, racing around it and bringing up her weapon again.

"Thorn Capture," she said this time and the gun barrel vanished back into the weapon. It expanded from the sides this time, forming a half-circle. She dashed in and pressed it against Haikoga's stomach where another half-circle closed around his torso. A chain appeared from the back and wrapped around a streetlight. Haikoga struggled and clawed at the ring but it held fast.

"Don't try anything or the Thorn'll give you a shock you'll never forget," Rose warned. To her and Daniel's surprise, he grinned. At least, that's what it looked like.

"You're not bad, for a female, but you're sadly mistaken if you think I'm the worst of your problems."

"What?"

The ground rumbled before a huge root came slithering down the street. "Return!" Rose screamed and the ring around Haikoga disconnected and returned to her hand. She glimpsed him vanishing in a burst of Fire along with his Risen as she rushed back into the office building. Above the rooftops she could see Prox Flora completing her growth.

"Oh great," Daniel whispered as he joined her at the window. "Call the others and see if they can get the Beta Units--"

"Don't worry about it."

"What?!"

"Don't worry about it," she said, holding up her two cards again. Now Daniel could see a horse and a swan depicted on them.

"Oh, of course. You have your own Ptolemic Machines."

"Yep," Rose said proudly. The cards turned into light and flowed into her again but this time when the light cleared she was gone. He peered out every window in the room, and on the third try he spotted two Ptolemic Machines he'd never seen before, a purple and white horse and a swan, thundering down the street.

"Keep it together guys, there's a way out of this," Black said as they gazed up at the giant Prox Flora had become, but didn't sound too sure. "Get the Beta Units out here, you two!" Blue and Yellow produced the cards but one of Prox Flora's roots came crashing down from above. Stellarman turned and ran for all they were worth but it was too late--the enormous root hit the ground and the shockwave tossed the four youths like feathers on the wind. They landed all over the street, unmoving.

"Star Cross!" a voice shouted. Prox Flora looked up and saw the two new machines roaring at her just before they started to rearrange. The horse split in two down the middle with its midsection flipping upward, becoming a torso and legs. The swan split into pieces; its torso stretched into arms that attached to the torso, its wings attached to the waist, and its long, sleek head extended into a lance. Finally a head with sleek, feminine features sprouted from the gestalt's shoulders.

"What in the--" Prox Flora began before the robot delivered a flying kick to her face.

"The beautiful but deadly warrior, Rose Valkyrie!" StellarRose cried from the cockpit, her robot brandishing its lance at the female Truthcraft.

"Beautiful but _dead_, more like!" Prox Flora laughed and lashed roots at Rose Valkyrie, who sliced them off with one swing of its weapon. Another two were creeping up behind while Rose's attention was focused up front, but with a deft twist the robot sliced those in two as well.

"Enough!" Prox Flora screamed. Her roots coiled around entire buildings, pulling them up from the ground and flinging them like missiles at Rose Valkyrie, who took off at a run. It dodged and weaved through the concrete barrage with its lance aimed right at Prox Flora's head. Right before the lance hit home Prox Flora gasped and weaved out of the way, filling the air with blinding pollen as she did.

The robot looked around helplessly in the cloud of pollen that reached for blocks. A flurry of seeds flew from all directions and exploded as they hit the robot. All of a sudden Rose Valkyrie turned and thrust its lance. The pollen dissipated, revealing the lance had gone straight through Prox Flora's torso.

"How…how can…" she sputtered.

"How can I see you? The Valkyries could tell the most worthy soldiers out of an entire army at a glance, Rose Valkyrie can find its enemy no matter where they are," StellarRose replied. Her robot yanked its lance free than jabbed with it again but a curtain of giant leaves whipped up in front of Prox Flora and the lance was deflected.

"Four of you couldn't beat me when I was still small, you think I can't beat one of you now?!" Prox Flora yelled. Leaves started to fly away from the monster's defensive curtain and sliced against Rose Valkyrie. The robot crouched and jumped, high, high above Prox Flora's cylindrical shield.

"Final Ride!" Rose yelled. The robot's lance burned with violet energy. Jets on its back ignited, propelling it at incredible speed straight down at Prox Flora. The lance cleaved right through Prox Flora. There was a horrible moment of silence, then Prox Flora's remains disintegrated. The leaves of her shield fell like rain.

Rose Valkyrie turned away from the scene of her enemy's demise.

"Did you see that, Daniel?" StellarRose asked, knowing he couldn't hear. "I did it, like I promised."

* * *

A while later Daniel, Erica and the others were in the launch control booth of Sol Dome's hangar, watching as Erica's swan and horse robots were placed alongside the three Beta Units.

"That's the space where StellarSavage's pieces are usually kept, right?" she asked.

"Yep. Looks like we'll counting on you for that from now on."

"Don't say that. We'll get it back somehow."

He sighed and folded his hands. "Erica, look…not that I'm not glad we have a new friend with her own robot, but how long have you been there, just watching us fight?"

"For once I gotta agree with the new kid. The old new kid," Cliff added.

"She's been a Stellarman longer than any of you five," said a familiar voice behind the six of them. To no one's surprise it was Commander Thebes making a timely entrance.

"And I only met her by accident, is that it?" Daniel asked suspiciously.

"Please try to understand," Thebes said. "Erica's quite powerful with her Starlight, and you were a new team. I didn't want you to depend on her, so I held her in reserve. I was going to have her deploy if a giant Truthcraft appeared before we recovered StellarSavage, you have my word."

"She handled Haikoga pretty well," Daniel said. Erica glanced at him with an expression he couldn't quite read.

"I don't want you to think what I'm about to say diminishes you five in any way," Thebes went on. "We've had some setbacks but you've become a great team. However, these last battles have indicated Proxordo has the potential to be a lot more dangerous than we originally thought. As a result, I've decided to grant Erica's request and give her active membership in Stellarman."

"That's why you really had me transfer to Daniel's school, isn't it?" Erica said suddenly and glared at Commander Thebes.

"Excuse me?" Daniel said. "She had you transfer to Armstrong? I thought you said--"

"I did," she cut him off, maintaining her glare.

"Erica," Daniel said slowly, "would you mind telling me your full name?"

"Thebes. Erica Thebes."

"What?!" Aki and Caitlin gaped.

"Oh great," Cliff said, thumping his palm against his forehead.

Daniel couldn't help a smile as he shook his head. Somehow, his life had just gotten even stranger.


	15. Phase 15: Terror

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 15: Fright

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

A quiet day had passed since the death of Prox Flora at the hands of StellarRose. That morning Daniel had called them to the base to make an announcement to his teammates.

Daniel and Bohdi were standing on a catwalk in the depths of the base where a large metal bucket dumped a load of the crystals Proxordo had planted below the city into a vat of white hot slag. Within seconds of hitting the concoction's surface they started to melt.

"Good riddance," he said as another bucket emptied its load into the vat. His Stellphone beeped at him.

"Daniel, your friends are on their way to the hangar," came the surprisingly cheerful voice of Valentine.

"We're on our way," he replied. He and Bohdi caught the nearest elevator up and made their way to the hangar, where the other four were waiting when they walked in.

"Well guys, I think the decision's out of our hands at this point," Daniel addressed Stellarman. "Somebody's got to take the unicorn Beta Unit and start training with it. Any volunteers? Erica?"

"I already have a horse, remember?" she said, pointing at the purple mech.

"Why won't anyone take the unicorn?" Bohdi asked. "Seriously, what's wrong with it? It's majestic."

"Is that an offer?" Aki asked.

"I guess…if nobody else wants it, and it's so important we mobilize all our forces. Which it is."

"I'd take it if I were allowed to drive robots," Valentine giggled.

"Okay, Valentine, what's up with you lately?" Caitlin asked. "Since when do yo giggle?"

"The Commander thought it would help ease the tension of how difficult the battles are getting if I seemed friendlier."

"What tension?" Cliff said. Daniel gave him an annoyed look.

"She's probably got a point," Daniel said. "I got an ugly feeling this is just getting started. Erica, Bohdi, if you please, we'll see what this puppy can do…"

* * *

"Loyal members of Proxordo!" Amro Vayon called from atop the pillar at the center of his flying city's main square. This time it was truly him, garbed from head to toe in his majestic golden armor, not an image projected from his private stronghold. At the base of the pillar stood his lieutenants: Kamandetes, the knight-like warrior of the serpent, Dione, the gentle but devoted female aide, and Haikoga, the saurian beast. Beyond them were a half-circle of Amp-Risen, the elite of Proxordo's army, their armor bearing the image of the Fire of Truth which was the source of all Proxordo's power. Beyond the Amp-Risen were the countless metal-skinned Risen that made up the lowest echelon on the order.

"As you are all aware, Proxordo has suffered a series of disastrous setbacks," Vayon said. "Have no fear, my conviction in building a better world is not the least bit shaken. Nonetheless, it is clear to me that my preparations have been inadequate. For this reason, I must regrettably take my leave of Haven to gather myself and prepare a new strategy. Do not despair, soon we will strike again, and none will doubt Proxordo's power! On this you have my solemn pledge!"

A cheer started to rise from the Risen, but Vayon held up his hand for silence. "Save your cheers for when victory is ours, children. I promise you, that day will be soon!"

Behind Vayon a portal appeared in the air, and without another word he turned and walked through the fiery vortex. Once he was through it winked out of existence.

The Risen started to disperse down the many streets leading away from the square, to see to their various duties until new orders arrived. The Amp-Risen left as well, all filing away as a single group. The mass of lesser Risen parted for them as a matter of reflex.

"So that's it?" Haikoga asked once there were a few Risen still around. "We just sit around and wait for Vayon to find himself?"

"Do you think you get vacations in Proxordo?" Kamandetes rebuked him. "We're soldiers, we attack!"

"And how do you propose we go about that?" Dione broke in. "Vayon devises our strategies, and he controls access to the Fire of Truth, to say nothing of the Veritium stores. How do you plan on creating a Truthcraft without him, let alone one strong enough to have a chance against Stellarman now?"

"And what would Master Vayon think if he heard you suggesting we sit around like a bunch of ninnies waiting for him to get back and relieve us of the burden of _thinking_?" Kamandetes said with all the disdain he could muster. "He may have created Proxordo, but do you think he intends to do the thinking of every single person in the world he wants to build? Oh, bravo Dione!"

Kamandetes stomped away from the two of them, and exchanging glances, Dione and Haikoga followed. He made his way to Vayon's tower where he caught an elevator.

"Where's that idiot going?" Haikoga asked as Dione pressed the call button.

"I have a feeling I know," Dione said simply. They rode up several flights and stepped out into a silent hallway. Dione floated off one way and Haikoga could do little but lope after her.

"What's here?" he asked.

"The lab where we create Truthcraft," Dione answered and pressed a series of buttons on a console by a pair of doors. The doors whooshed open, and sure enough Kamandetes was inside, leaning over another console. He pressed a button that sent a robotic arm attached to the ceiling speeding out to attach something to a humanoid shell behind a glass partition.

"Kamandetes, are you serious about this?" Dione asked as she floated into the room.

"Absolutely. I don't intend for Master Vayon to come back and see we've been idle in his absence." He kept hitting buttons and the machinery kept racing back and forth retrieving weapons it proceeded to implant in the shell.

"How do you plan to animate this terror of yours without the Fire of Truth, though?" Dione asked. Haikoga just huffed.

"We all have access, girl. You simply never thought about what you could do with it if you tried." Kamandetes rose from the console and walked over to the glass wall where he pushed open a door set into it. He placed his hands on the shell and a bright red glow surrounded it. The shell twitched and lifted its arms before the glow faded after a second.

"It may take more than one treatment on my own," Kamandetes panted, "but perhaps now you can see there's no need for us to give Stellarman any rest."

"And you really don't think Vayon will be angry with you for acting without his consent?"

"Angry?" Kamandetes laughed. "For getting rid of Stellarman? Get out of my way, I need to get my hands on some Veritium. If you'd like to prove Vayon gave you your position for a reason, feel free to join me."

He left the room with a smug walk.

* * *

StellarBlack pressed the blank card to the console of the unicorn Ptolemic Machine. It glowed white then the image of a unicorn scrawled itself across the card's surface. The robot stamped the ground and let out an electronic whinny.

"I'm ready," Black announced. "Erica?"

"I was born ready," Rose replied.

"Okay guys, don't go too far out," Daniel said over the intercom. "This is just a test run."

"Got it, Danny," Rose replied. Cygnus, the swan robot spread its wings as she gripped its controls. The hangar door ground open and Cygnus, Equuleus and Bohdi's unicorn raced out of the hangar and into the Florida wilds.

"Hey, Black, what's that robot of yours called again?" Rose asked as they went.

"Monoceros," he answered.

The Ptolemic Machines ran on. A few minutes passed in silence, then Black reached up and switched his communicator to a closed channel. "Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't anyone else want this Ptolemic macihne?"

She laughed for a second before answering him. "Probably because they were afraid it would make them seem too girly."

"Even Caitlin?"

"You don't know much about people on this planet, do you?" Rose asked.

"I've read plenty, but--"

"…but you don't go out much on account of how you look, I bet," Rose finished for him. "Even though we all have this gadgets to look like whatever we want."

"Yeah, pretty much," Black admitted.

"This looks about far enough," Rose said and brought her Ptolemic Machines to a halt. "Star Cross!"

The two Ptolemic Machines started to reconfigure into their combined form, but Black's mind was elsewhere.

He hardly ever left Sol Dome when he wasn't on a mission, it was true, even though his Stellphone had the capability to make him look like whoever he wanted, the same as anyone in Stellarman. Why did he never use it? He was free to leave the base when he liked, and he was sure Thebes would have someone provide him with a background if he felt like going out and socializing.

He'd come to Earth looking for a new start, hadn't he? Now that he was here, why was locking himself away in that underground bunker? Was he afraid of everyone's eyes on him, like he had been on Chahi…?

"Hey Bodhi, you still there?" he realized Rose was calling him. In front of him stood Rose Valkyrie, waiting on him to begin.

"Uh, yeah! Sorry! Beta Cross!"

Monoceros levitated above Rose Valkyrie. Its legs started to drift away from the main body, bolts of energy crackling within the gaps. Before it could start combining with Rose Valkyrie, there was a juddering and the pieces snapped back together. Monoceros dropped on top of Rose Valkyrie, knocking the robot over.

"What happened?" Rose called.

"I…got distracted."

"Well don't get distracted. If anybody loses their focus, everybody could die."

"I know! I have been doing this for a while. Look, let's just try it again. Beta Cross!"

Again Monoceros hummed and lifted off the ground, but it came crashing back down before it could even rise above Rose Valkyrie.

"Guys, you better head back!" Daniel's voice came over the communicator.

"I'm fine, I can do this," Black protested.

"That's not it! We just heard the sky back in town turned totally black!"

* * *

Indeed, despite it being an hour before noon, a shadowy pall covered the sky over Cape Lombard. A bat-like shape, almost unnoticeable against the darkness, zoomed along and chuckled as it spotted the looks of panic on the people's faces below. A young boy tripped and fell as he ran for the nearest doorway.

And the shape struck.

A banshee wail ripped through the air as he spread his wings to their full span, nearly fifteen feet, and dove at the child. He grabbed the boy and swooped back up. "Are you scared, little one?" he asked, and the boy was sure he could see the gleam of twin fangs in the darkness above his captor's wings.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod…!" was the boy's only reply. He struggled against the powerful arm wrapped around his waist but thought better of it when he noticed they were five stories up.

"So glad to hear it. You're just the first of many." With that he dropped his captive and laughed. Shrill and piercing, it echoed for blocks. The winged menace was enjoying the sight of his victim plunging toward the asphalt he didn't hear the roar of engines approaching until a gleaming black streak jumped off a parked car and caught the boy in mid-fall. He might have even had time to be surprised if a glowing bolt hadn't exploded against his back at that moment, driving him to the same ground he was hoping to splatter the boy against an instant before.

The boy looked up as he felt himself being grabbed again, expecting to see the winged shape, and almost fainted with relief as he recognized the half-star design on his carrier's chest. It was StellarBlack astride his Charger. As it hit the ground StellarRose landed nimbly beside him, Thorn Sniper in hand.

"Get out of here, kid. We'll handle this guy, whatever he is," Rose said. The boy nodded and ran off.

"Ah, so you got my invitation! Excellent," the winged one said, not sounding at all like he'd just been shot in the back.

"What the hell are you?" Black demanded.

"You may call me…Prox Terror, if it suits you to give me a name," he said mockingly. He threw his wings wide and in the dim light they could make see he was black from top to bottom, except his gaunt face which was as white as a sheet. His eyes were blood-red with yellow irises, and peeking over thin lips were a pair of two-inch long fans. "And now that the pleasantries are out of the way…"

Rose cut him off by opening up on him with her gatling guns but Prox Terror let out a laugh they could hear even above the clatter of the guns as he took to the air. He flew by letting out a high-pitched shriek. Rose and Black's hands flew to their sides of their helmets but the shriek was so intense it blew them off their feet completely. He banked and came at them again but this time clutched a flaming jack o' lantern in his hands which he dropped on the fallen youths. As soon as it touched the ground the gourd exploded and tossed them in opposite directions.

Before she hit the ground Rose's Thorn was in hand. "Thorn Sniper!" She aimed and fired, catching Prox Terror dead center between the wings. A bolt of dark power jumped from the point where she'd shot him but she nipped out of the way. Prox Terror twitched and fell, but landed gracefully on the far side of the street.

"I see we're about to have even more playmates," he grinned, what light there was glinting off the tip of one fang. Black and Rose turned around to see what he was looking at and speeding toward them was the rest of Stellarman on their Chargers.

"Hold it right there!" Red's Switch Magnum was already in hand and without hesitating he fired at the monster.

Prox Terror didn't do anything to avoid the laser that came screaming toward him. Right before it made contact, however, he raised his hand and the laser vanished into his palm, only to come roaring back out a second later, colored black. It hit Red square in the chest and carried him off his motorcycle.

Red sat up, his chest burning, but right away something felt wrong.

Everything around him had vanished. The street. The buildings. The monster. The rest of Stellarman. He stood up and looked around, but it was the same in every direction. There was nothing around but him, standing in an empty white space.

"Hello?" he called.

The echoing of his voice into the distance was the only response.

"Red! Red, can you hear me?!" Rose shook him by the shoulders but he didn't move. "What did you do to him??!"

"You're going to have to beat it out of me. You know that," Prox Terror smirked.

"Fine with me," Yellow snapped and pressed his hammer card into his Battle Dealer. Prox Terror produced another pumpkin bomb and lobbed it at him but Yellow darted to one side then lunged in as it exploded, slamming his hammer into Prox Terror's stomach.

Suddenly dark energy crept up the weapon. Yellow jumped back but it raced down the hammer to his hands. He gurgled and went limp just liked Red.

When he pulled himself up off the ground, he was surprised to see he wasn't on the city street anymore but lying on the front walk of his house with a raging headache. He had fuzzy memories about running into someone dressed up like Dracula, but shrugged them off and walked up to the door.

It wouldn't open.

He pushed his key into the lock but it stopped halfway. Someone had changed the locks! He backed away from the door, and yelled up at the second-floor windows. "Hello! Anyone there?!" A second later Caitlin poked her head out one, a mournful expression on her face.

"Catie, what's going on?"

"As if you didn't know," she said with a shake of her head. "You got into one too many fights, Cliff. I can't save you this time."

"What?!"

"Cliff!" Pink screamed and reached out for her brother as he fell.

"No, don't!" Rose yelled in warning, but it was too late. The dark energy that had seeped into Yellow leaped into Pink's hand before her fingers even touched him. Her body spasmed then collapsed beside Yellow.

With aching arms she pushed herself back up, then froze at what she saw. The buildings around her had somehow been reduced to nothing but blackened shells and hunks of masonry. The street beneath her was cracked and broken up and down its length. The sky over head was covered in clouds the color of blood, and not half a mile to her left she could see a huge crystal pillar dominating the landscape.

"We failed," she sobbed. "I failed…"

"Come one, come all!" Prox Terror laughed. "Who'll be the next to fall?"

The rest of Stellarman backed away, uncertain how they could attack this enemy when suddenly Prox Terror became a black blur and seized StellarBlue by the throat. "How about you, my little morsel?" She screamed and stabbed at him with her Switch Mangum's blade, and the dark energy rushed into her as well.

Screaming babies. That sound, the sign of her imprisonment. She sighed in frustration at the top of her lungs, but it did nothing to ease her pain. The two in her arms wailed even louder as they heard it. Aki gently shook them up and down, cooing at them, but they didn't stop the crying. The others in the bedroom got even louder.

Where was that worthless man who said he'd take care of her, no matter what life dealt them? He'd stranded her with his offspring, then promptly disappeared. It's a business thing, you understand, don't you?

She did. She understood she should've escaped from the family that had sung that man's praises so highly when she had the chance.

"Oh dear, four of six so quickly. I'd heard Stellarman was dangerous," Prox Terror said. "Well, come on. Let's finish this slaughter, shall we?"

"Thorn Sniper!" Rose yelled. At once her rifle was in hand and she fired at the corner of a building above Prox Terror. An avalanche of rubble fell toward him and the monster jumped out of the way, only to run into a car Black had wrapped his whip around and swung at him like a wrecking ball. He yelled in surprise, the dark energy erupting from his body but arcing wildly, missing the two of them still up.

"You'll regret that!" the monster snarled and grabbed Black by the shoulder. Dark energy still crackled along his arm and flowed into Black's body.

"I think…you might!" Black gasped and shoved a card into his Battle Dealer.

"Alpha Card Set. Hydra." All of a sudden the dark energy flowed the other way, back into Prox Terror. He shrieked in pain and recoiled.

"You'll see me again, StellarBlack, and it'll be the last thing you ever see!" Prox Terror vanished from sight. The blackness covering the sky dissipated.

* * *

Bohdi was leaning heavily on the glass of Sol Dome's infirmary when Commander Thebes and Erica walked up to him. The others lay inside, unmoving like they had been ever since they were dragged back to base.

"How are they?" the alien asked.

"Stable, but they're undergoing some especially intense kind of REM sleep that's raising their heart rates to dangerous levels," Commander Thebes replied. "The doctors are afraid if they're not brought out of it soon, it could be lethal."

"I bet whatever they're dreaming about is no fun," Bohdi said. "But how are the two of us supposed to beat that monster? Those indirect attacks hurt him, but not enough, and we can't launch a straight attack or we'll end up like them."

"What about that thing you did with your Alpha Card?" Erica asked.

"Oh, that. One of the hydra's abilities was to rapidly heal itself from injury. My Alpha Card lets me do that, and it was super-charging my body's defenses to repel that energy. He'll never fall for that again, though."

"There might be a way, actually," Commander Thebes said. Bohdi and Erica gazed at her expectantly. "I had Valentine analyze footage of the battle, and we think that energy comes from a single point in the monster's chest. If enough power was directed at the very heart of that point, we think it could be overloaded."

"Maybe if I hit it with the Thorn Sniper?" Erica suggested, but Commander Thebes shook her head.

"The target is very small, and even if you made a direct hit it wouldn't have enough force. But…I understand Bohdi here has a new Beta Card he hasn't tried out yet," she said and turned to face him.

Erica looked at him expectantly too. Bohdi felt a lump rising in his throat. All of a sudden he wasn't in a hallway in Sol Dome anymore, he was in the gray hills outside a stone village. Around him were the pale-skinned people of his childhood, regarding him silently with their black beads of eyes.

"I…ca--" Bohdi choked, then pushed past them and ran off down the hall.

It didn't matter how hard he concentrated on his meditation, when Bohdi shut his eyes the faces of everyone he knew back on Chahi were there again, their eyes boring into his very soul, and all his strength faded.

It just didn't' make any sense. He wasn't afraid of any of the many monstrous inhabitants of his barren home planet, and he'd never quavered against anything Vayon had sent to squash him and the rest of the team. Why was the only thing that could choke him up so completely the very people he knew, lived around? Fought beside.

He sighed and covered his face in his sizable hands. This time he'd really done it. Stellarman was the only thing standing between Vayon and his vision of a world free of people who didn't share his set of values. Bohdi and Erica were the only ones not in some kind of nightmare-intensive coma and only he had the means to do anything about it. But even as he thought about the Commander and Erica looking at him, placing their hopes in him to save the team and all of Cape Lombard, all he could see was the villagers back on Chahi, indifferent to his greatest success.

All of a sudden the door to his room hissed open. Erica leaned in. "Hey. You busy?"

"How did you get in here?"

"My security clearance is pretty high around here, just like yours. Bohdi, what just happened to you?"

"Look, I've got this issue with being the center of attention. Whenever it happens I see everybody…everybody from where I grew up, just looking at me, looking right through me. It's why I was so glad to go away. I get the feeling they were glad too."

Erica walked and sat herself down on his bed. "Were these people close to you? Good friends, girlfriends maybe?"

It was a while before Bohdi answered. "I guess they were close to me. They were my family, and the people we helped protect and provide for, but…I didn't like them. Ever since my powers surfaced I was always treated like the black sheep. Mah gustah, I don't think I ever faced up to that. I never got a thank you out of those people for anything, not even patching a hole in the old woman's roof. Didn't need any Starlight for that!"

"And how do you feel about the people you know on this planet? Are they any different than the people you risked you life for back home?"

"Are you kidding me?" Bohdi asked, a fold above his eye rising in bemusement. "The rest of the team acts like they don't even realize I'm not from the same planet they are. I was expecting all kinds of stupid sci-fi jokes when Thebes told me she was putting together a team." He mockingly made the "live long and prosper" sign.

"So why are you still acting like you're back on that other planet, huh?" Erica said. "Nobody you know here thinks you're weird, least of all because you have powers. If anything it means you have more in common with Stellarman than the people you knew back home. I only met you the other day and you're someone I wouldn't mind watching my back."

"You're saying I spend all my spare time in Sol Dome because I'm afraid it'll only end up being just like Chahi?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, I don't know if the world's ready to see your real face or anything, but loosen up. You're among friends, and you're not living somewhere people are in constant fear of their lives. This is a different planet, time for a different mindset."

"Let me guess, you're majoring in psychology," Bohdi couldn't resist a smirk.

"Business. Same thing."

Bohdi stood up and offered Erica his hand. "Let's get going. I've got some friends to save."

* * *

"You see?! You see?!" Kamandetes laughed proudly. Before him a monitor played the scene of Yellow and Pink falling from his monster's powers over and over. "Two thirds of Stellarman is at our mercy, and soon Prox Terror's little 'treatment' will burn them out! Think of what Master Vayon will say when he hears _that!"_

"Aren't you forgetting about the last two, snake?" Haikoga said. "This isn't the first time victory seemed inevitable."

"No wonder that Rose whipped you so hard, with an attitude like that," Kamandetes scoffed. "Good thing for us Stellarman's even more predictable than you are. Prox Terror's almost repaired, and when he shows up again they'll show up as well, even if they can't possibly win."

Haikoga clenched his teeth, then dropped to all fours and scuttled out of the room. Dione hastily floated out of his way.

"I tell you, he's just an animal," Kamandetes said with undisguised contempt.

"I'm sure Vayon has his reasons for keeping Haikoga around," Dione replied.

"As do I, but they're beyond my reckoning. Never once has that lizard come up with a plan or designed a Truthcraft. Lucky for us, it won't matter by tomorrow."

Bohdi crouched by the corner of a rooftop, as usual disguised as a burly black teen. He looked up, surveying the sky for the twelfth time, but there was still no sign of the dark pall that had covered it when Prox Terror appeared before.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Bohdi?" Valentine hailed him over his Stellphone.

"You know Proxordo, they don't do anything halfway. And I want to be right here when they come back," he replied and scanned the sky again. This time he noticed a small black spot as it popped into existence above them. Within seconds it was swelling, becoming a huge black disc that stretched from one end of Cape Lombard to the other. As it did, an unmistakable bat-like shape zipped across the sky.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Bohdi yelled. His disguise flickered away, replaced by his dark uniform. The bat-shape evidently saw the flash marking his transformation and changed direction to fly straight toward him.

"Arm Card Set. Stellash," his Battle Dealer announced, but he barely heard it as the shape grew larger and larger until he could see the glint of Prox Terror's fangs.

"Thorn Sniper!" A violet laser flew from a rooftop across the street and clipped Prox Terror's wing. A dark energy bolt erupted from his wing toward the spot where StellarRose crouched, but she held up a card.

"Cygnus, Speed!" she cried. In a pale purple flash the card's power enveloped her and she dove out of the way just in time. The monster came crashing down at Bohdi's feet, but seemed to flow right back up.

"Quick, Rose! Get him again!" Black called but Prox Terror flew toward him and delivered a backhanded punch that laid Black out across the rooftop.

"Risen!" Prox Terror barked and in response columns of Fire shot down from the sky, erupting into a ring of Risen around where StellarRose stood. Prox Terror stamped down hard on Black's chest. "Desperation must be getting to you, child. Do you really think the two of you can stand up to Proxordo by yourselves?"

Black laughed. "A smart hunter knows when he's outclassed, but he knows when giving up isn't an option, too!"

He kicked out with one foot and caught a cable with his boot that he jerked back on. The cable went taut and pulled the trigger on Black's Switch Magnum, situated between two boxes. The beam hit Prox Terror in the shoulder and reflected off colored black, but it distracted him long enough for Black to seize his leg and throw him off.

Two Risen struck Rose on her shoulders but the blows didn't even make her flinch. "Thorn Fencer!" In a blink her weapon had assumed its sword form and she knocked them aside with one swing. Still under Cygnus's influence she became a blur, running to the nearest Risen and disarming her, then running to the next and tripping him up with the blade of her sword. She turned and ran for the edge of the building, intending to join Black, but an explosion erupted right in front of her, knocking her back.

"Today is the day Stellarman perishes!" one of the Risen announced, her torch still shimmering from the bolt it had shot. "You will not harm the deliverer of their destruction!" She leveled her weapon at Rose with malicious intent.

The purple Stellarman could only sigh and shake her head. "They said to go easy on you guys, but you're not making it easy on me." She advanced, effortlessly parrying the Risen's powerful strokes.

Prox Terror threw his wings wide and shrieked at the top of his artificial lungs at Black. Instinct took over for the alien warrior and he dove out of the way, going into a faultless roll behind a chimney. He heard hissing and looked up to see a pumpkin coming toward him. It was time.

"Beta Card Set. Monoceros."

Black's Stellash glowed white and straightened to a wire-thin pike. He jumped over the chimney and dashed toward Prox Terror, unmindful of the explosion he heard somewhere behind him as the pumpkin landed. All his attention was focused on the spot Thebes had shown him, dead center in Prox Terror's chest, and he aimed his weapon at it.

"Twilight Crusade," he whispered. Prox Terror beat his wings, trying to rise out of Black's reach, but he only jumped with all his might and rammed the glistening pike through Prox Terror's torso.

Dark energy ran up it and into StellarBlack. For a second he could see all those staring villagers from back on the gray planet he called home, but then they were gone. The only thing staring at him was Prox Terror, a look of disbelief frozen on his terrible face.

"Why aren't you--" the monster sputtered.

"Afraid? You're nothing compared to growing up Chahi, and this isn't Chahi." Black yanked the Stellash out of the monster's body as hard and fast as he could. He tried not to, but enjoyed the feeling anyway. A fresh kill. It was a primal sensation he hadn't felt since he left home, and by Nigriv if it didn't feel good.

The explosion that consumed Prox Terror, he not only heard but gazed deep into until the glow had left the monster's charred remains.

"How'd it go with you?" Black looked up in surprise and saw Rose standing next to him, leaning on her sword like a cane.

"Sorry, I…got a little too into it, I guess," Black said sheepishly. "What about the Risen?"

"What about them?" Rose casually jerked her thumb in the direction of the other building and he just had time to see them splayed all over the place before they disappeared back to where they came from in puffs of Fire.

"Let's just hope Vayon doesn't think enough of this monster to give him another shot at us."

"You must be joking, StellarBlack," a cold voice said. The two youths whipped toward it and there stood Kamandetes on the next rooftop. To Black's surprise his sword wasn't drawn. "Prox Terror, rise again, your power magnified by ten! Prox Terror, show them your power! Make this our enemies' final hour!" He held up a hand, sending a jet of the Fire of Truth into the monster's remains. Black and Rose jumped back, then had to jump again as more Fire hit the ashes, this one from Dione's hand on yet another building. Yet another jet touched town and they turned to see it expelled from the jaws of Haikoga.

Black and Rose ran for all they were worth and jumped to another building just as the one they were one disappeared in a cloud of dust. As they expected, Prox Terror rose from the spot where a building had been a second before, now hundreds of feet tall.

"I'll take care of this," Rose said and held up her cards.

"But--"

"You've down a lot today Bohdi, now you get to watch." She threw the cards into the air where they turned into purple light that flowed down, forming a sphere around Rose, which disappeared itself.

"Maybe I can't put the fear in you, but now I can crush you just as well!" Prox Terror laughed and held a pumpkin bomb. He lobbed it at Black with all his might and it was all the alien could do to jump out of the way before another building disappeared behind him.

"Pick on someone your own size, freak! Star Cross!" There was a dazzling purple flash and there stood Rose Valkyrie, clutching its swan-headed lance. "The beautiful but deadly warrior, Rose Valkyrie!"

"Why don't you show your toy to my friends?" Prox Terror grinned. He spread his wings which bizarrely started to ripple. Then from each stepped a rotting zombie as tall as he was. Then another pair, and another.

Rose Valkyrie immediately impaled one of the undead giants on its lance, but to its pilot's surprise the zombie slammed a bony fist into the robot's face. It staggered away, letting go of its lance n the process. Another zombie shambled forward and bashed Rose Valkyrie into one of its comrades, who bashed it in the direction of another zombie. One zombie wrenched a building out of the ground and clubbed Rose Valkyrie over the head with it, sending the robot tumbling to the ground.

All of a sudden an electronic whinny cut the air. Prox Terror looked up and galloping toward the battle was Monoceros, its white armor dazzling even with the sky blotted out. The nearest zombie kicked at Monoceros but the robot horse jerked its head down, slicing the zombie in half with its horn. It jumped, impaled another through the chest, then jerked its head upward, cutting the zombie in half.

"Bohdi?" Rose asked.

"I don't watch," he replied with feigned indignation. "Beta Cross!"

Once again Monoceros floated into the air above Rose Valkyrie and separated into pieces. Its legs folded up into the armor on its shoulders and hips. Its leg armor clasped onto Rose Valkyrie's legs, its shoulder armor attached itself to the robot's shoulders and hands, forming gauntlets. Its torso clamped onto Rose Valkyrie as a white and gold breastplate and a regal helmet with a long golden plume drifted from behind the torso and floated onto Rose Valkyrie's head, completing the change. The unicorn's horn stretched outward, the head having become a glistening sword. Rose Valkyrie reached out and grasped the hilt.

"Ready to do this?" Black asked from his seat behind Rose in the robot's cockpit. Ahead of them the zombies lurched closer. Rose nodded and jammed her throttle forward.

Rose Valkyrie cut the first zombie down with a blazing slash then followed its momentum to bisect the next with a vicious diagonal cut. The last two didn't even have a chance for their comrades' fate to register in their decayed minds before beheaded them with a single stroke. Their heads landed at Prox Terror's feet with a sickening *splat*.

He looked at them without concern. "Do you truly think snuffing out a few insignificant zombies makes you a match for fear incarnate?" He reared back his head then blasted his high-pitched shriek at Rose Valkyrie. Explosions went off on the robot's arms and legs but it advanced implacably toward Prox Terror and readied its sword.

Prox Terror threw his wings around himself to block the sword but the blade bit into his side. He whipped one hand from under them, holding a pumpkin bomb, and jammed it against Rose Valkyrie's chest. It went off and the robot stumbled back from the blast. Prox Terror took to the air, a pumpkin bomb in each hand. Rose Valkyrie wrenched its lance from the remains of the zombie where it was lodged and jumped straight at the monster.

"Double Ride!" Black and Rose yelled together. Jets on its back ignited and it flew like a rocket, both weapons aimed at Prox Terror. They sliced through Prox Terror like he was nothing more than a dark cloud. The energy of his core clawed at Rose Valkyrie, trying to inflict diabolical effects on them, but it dissipated a splitsecond later. A strangled cry hanging in the air was the only thing left to mark the monster's passing.

* * *

A hollow clapping filled Kamandetes's monitor room back in Haven. The knight turned and shot Haikoga a glared that might have bored holes in a man, but the reptile just continued his clapping for a few more beats before stalking out of the room.

"I must say, you came awfully close," Dione said, sounding something approaching sympathetically.

"They fight tricky, we'll just need to be tricky too," Kamandetes growled. He typed at a keyboard and on a screen appeared a diagram she recognized as the one they used to design new Truthcraft.

Dione drifted out of the room as quietly as she could. It was going to be a long time before Vayon returned.

* * *

"Were we in time?" Bohdi panted, having run all the way to the infirmary.

"Ask them yourselves," Commander Thebes smiled and ushered him and Erica inside, where the rest of the team was sitting up on their beds looking around groggily.

"Bohdi? What happened, man?" Cliff asked.

"That monster gave you guys all nightmares. I think. We just kicked his butt," Bohdi explained.

Erica patted the big alien on the shoulder and smiled. "I helped a little, Bohdi did most of the work. Thank him."

"Thanks, Bohdi," Daniel smiled wearily. "You saved me from scariest thing I ever saw."

"Me too," Caitlin whispered. Aki and Cliff just nodded in affirmation.

"I wish it was all good news," Bohdi replied. "You know how Vayon always appears in the sky and shoots a beam to make his monster big? Those flunkies of his did it this time."

"You think maybe they got rid of Vayon or something?" Aki suggested.

Bohdi shrugged. "I wish I had something more definite to report."

"Don't sweat it, buddy," Erica smiled. "You beat Chahi today, we can beat Proxordo tomorrow."

"Sounds like you guys did a lot while the rest of us were out," Cliff said.

Bohdi's response was just a passive smile and nod.


	16. Phase 16: Carnival

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 16: Carnival

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Dione floated uneasily past the doors of the Truthcraft development laboratory. Kamandetes had sealed himself in there days ago after their last fight with Stellarman. If he'd left in all that time, she hadn't heard about it. On the other hand, she had little doubt any Risen who might have seen him coming and going were intimidated enough by the knight not to pass along anything about him.

She could hear the humming of machinery within. How much Veritium Kamandetes was burning coming up with his next creation, Dione could only guess.

Dione floated over to the keypad beside the door and extended one hand, to open the door and demand he call off his unapproved crusade, then pulled it back at the last second as an image of Kamandetes, wielding that sword that was a tall as her in a single hand flashed through her head. "I don't intend for Master Vayon to come back and see we've been idle in his absence," he'd said the day they forged and unleashed Prox Terror. Whatever else might be said about Kamandetes, his devotion to Amro Vayon's cause was undeniable.

For a second her stomach tightened. Did Kamandetes have the right idea? Could Amro Vayon be testing his followers, to see what they did when left to their own devices? They had, she was forced to admit, almost beaten Stellarman with Kamandetes in charge. For that matter she'd never imagined anyone other than Vayon could've brought a Truthcraft to life, let alone turn it into a giant.

But…Vayon was their leader. He had harnessed the Fire of Truth to begin with. He had made the floating city they called home possible. He had organized everything to fill their ranks.

He was Proxordo. At least, that's how it had always seemed.

Suddenly the doors seemed to burst open and Kamandetes staggered into the hall, clutching something small but glowing bright orange in one armored hand.

"I've done it," he gasped.

"Done what?"

"Forged the heart of a new breed of Truthcraft!" Kamandetes said, pride competing with menace for place in his voice.

* * *

A Risen flew through the air, ricocheted off the top of the dome and came crashing down to land at StellarRose's feet. She didn't notice. She didn't have time. A second Risen rushed at her, jabbing with his torch at her face but she spun around and bashed the hilt of the Thorn against her attacker's shoulder blades. A third Risen landed her torch on Rose's shoulder, but the violet Stellarman hardly noticed, kicking her opponent twenty feet through the air. The Risen might have gone even farther if a wall hadn't gotten in her way.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-YAAAAAAAAH!" Rose looked up to two Risen jumping toward her, torches raised high above their heads. Rose held up a card that dissolved into dark purple light.

"Equuleus, Power," she said calmly. She reached up and grabbed the Risen's weapons and yanked them from the surprised assailants' grasps. The fire on them went out but Rose stabbed the torches forward with all her amplified might, catching the two Risen in the chest and sending them flying through the air.

They landed one on top of the other, then flickered into wire frame models before disappeared entirely. The other prone Risen vanished into nothingness as well until she was alone in the vaulted room.

"Don't I get anything harder than stupid Risen?" she asked up at the ceiling. "I was knocking them all over the place."

"Indeed," said Commander Thebes through a microphone in the control room. "Good job, Erica."

"How about another round, with something a little tougher than Risen this time?"

"I'd like to see that, but this was your second consecutive session and you need to save your strength."

"What?? I'm barely warmed up!" Rose protested.

"I know, but things are different with you on the team. You've got the most responsibility of any Stellarman right now," the Commander said.

"I know, I know. People haven't stopped telling me since I finally got to try on my uniform."

"Erica, I know--" the Commander began but Rose shook her head and made her way to the door.

"Thanks mom, but I need to breathe." Without waiting to hear another word she strode through the door.

As Rose went her uniform faded until Erica Thebes had taken her place. She came to a row of vending machines and flashed her ID at one of them, causing a green light to blink at her. She sighed and pressed the panel for raspberry Energade.

"That's your favorite too, huh?"

"What?" Erica looked up and saw Caitlin leaning against the all, clad in hot pink sweat suit. "Oh, you want to use the room next? I'm done. Mom doesn't want me wearing myself out, apparently."

"I thought she said you were super-tough or something," Caitlin said.

"Sort of," Erica said as she viciously twisted the cap off her drink. "She's taught me how to use my Starlight since I was five. I think it's pretty powerful by now, and so does she."

"Wow. I didn't even know about mine until a couple years ago."

Erica nodded. "I wish that was the only thing she decided for me."

"What do you mean?" Caitlin asked, instinct kicking in to her mild annoyance.

"I wanted horseback riding lessons on the weekends, but she had me take private kung fu lessons. She picked my classes in high school. I spent forever talking her into letting me go to the school I was at before, then all of a sudden she transfers me to one down here so I'll be around if you guys got in trouble. Even then Daniel had to almost die before she'd let me actually help out. All my freaking life I've been training to be a Stellarman, and now that I'm here she won't even let me have three practice bouts in a row. Or even train at all without looking over my shoulder the whole time."

"Trust me, you're not alone," Caitlin said.

"I know, but your mom doesn't know you're StellarPink, does she? She doesn't come to Sol Dome and start dictating policy, does she? Let me tell you something, Catie. Even though Daniel was in trouble, I just went ahead and changed to StellarRose without waiting for her to agree. The main reason I'm on the team is she can't pretend I'm not around now."

"Touche."

"I just thought that since she was letting me on the team, she was finally going to give me some space," Erica said.

"Erica, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but since you're out here risking your neck with the rest of us, your mom's gonna be looking over your shoulder more than ever."

Erica took a sip of her drink and blanched. To Caitlin it looked more like disgusted acceptance than the taste of Energade.

"Hey, Erica?" Caitlin said. "Could you show me your robots?"

* * *

In a burst of light unnoticeable against the midday sky, a dark form appeared atop a Cape Lombard skyscraper. It was Kamandetes, and at his feet was a sphere as black as his serpentine armor. In one hand he held the orange stone which he reached down and pressed into the sphere, its surface rippling as if he was plunging his hand into a tub of water.

The sphere shook back and forth, then the sphere exploded outward. It gushed and wobbled horrifically until arms, legs, a head formed from the black mess. Three long tails sprouted from its head then bands of red, blue and yellow wrapped around them. Matching bands encircled its arms and legs. The blackness of its face parted as a white circle emerged, and a pair of white rings like eyes etched themselves into its surface while another ring formed below then stretched until it resembled lips.

Slowly those lips parted, and a high warbling laugh escaped them. He looked and sounded like a demonic jester, but he fell silent as Kamandetes took a step closer.

"Prox Pierrot," he said. "You know your duty, and the unique means with which you've been given to carry it out."

"Of course, of course!" Prox Pierrot said and bounced from one foot to the other. A red ball appeared in one hand and he tossed it to the other, only for a blue ball to appear, then a green and yellow one until he was juggling all four. "I'll show this pitiful populace pantloads of paralyzing pandemonium!" he laughed.

Kamandetes nodded impassively. "Yes, indeed. Our hopes go with you." With that he vanished in a burst of Fire.

Prox Pierrot tossed his juggling balls from hand to hand, seemingly oblivious to his master's absence. Suddenly he tossed the ball in his right hand in an arc over his head. The ball sailed through the air and exploded as it touched the side of a building. He tossed another ball from his left hand that likewise exploded as it landed on a rooftop.

If this didn't bring them running, nothing would.

* * *

The guards in the hangar took one look as Caitlin and Erica entered then resumed their watch. Caitlin stopped as she spotted Cygnus parked in the center of the room.

"It's beautiful," she said.

"It is kind of nice, isn't it?" Erica said casually. "Want to see it from the inside?"

Erica approached Cygnus and her presence must've sent some kind signal, as a boarding ramp lowered from its underside. They walked up into the vehicle's head and Erica motioned for Caitlin to enter the cockpit first, but Caitlin just peered inside. "It's so…small!" Indeed, Cygnus's cockpit was so slim Caitlin couldn't even imagine Erica walking around the seat to take her place at the console. Surely she had to jump over it instead. It was almost alien from the somewhat more spacious control rooms she was used to from her own Ptolemic machine.

"Yeah," Erica said with a wry smile.

"How can you possibly control a robot from inside here??"

"When I'm in here I feel like I'm still me, just two hundred feet tall. I want to know how you guys can focus on anything in those gigantic cockpits of yours," Erica countered.

"Whatever works, the way things are now," Caitlin said and sighed. "Bohdi said you guys had some trouble last time, though."

Erica shrugged. "Rose Valkyrie isn't quite as powerful as StellarSavage, but it makes up for it with more speed and stronger sensors. I get by."

"Still…it'd be nice if we had both robots. I'm worried what Proxordo's doing with StellarSavage. If they didn't just blow it up."

"If they were going to just blow it up, they probably would've just done that in the first place instead of send it through a huge portal. There are people looking for it around the clock Catie, and we'll find it."

"I know. I just wish I didn't have to worry about it," Caitlin replied. "I've got so many things to worry about already."

"Catie, this is war," Erica said simply.

As if on cue, klaxons started to sound throughout the hangar.

"And it looks like they're ready to give us more," Caitlin added.

A dull metal spike flew through the air and impaled itself in the ground. Above, a black ball arced through the air, bounced off the middle of the street and launched another spike from its underside.

The ball came down, sprouting arms, legs and streamers from the top. By the time it had landed it was covered in bands of bright colors again and was letting out manic laughter.

"Hold it right there!" Daniel yelled as he charged around a corner with the others right behind him. "Cosmic Evolution!"

"Rose Nexus, Unlock!"

The area exploded with color, and and when it was gone so were the six youths. In their place were the six powerful figures of Cosmic Squadron Stellarman, and they automatically went into fighting stances.

"How many of you freaks do we have to get rid of before your bosses get the message?" StellarYellow called threateningly. Prox Pierrot's laugh only got louder.

"What kind of welcome is that? Especially when I've come to relieve the tedium of your miserable lives! Step right up! Stay an hour, stay all day, enjoy your visit come what may! The circus of fear is in town!"

"What are we waitin' for?" Yellow asked. "Let's roll this guy."

"Risen, keep our guests entertained while I set up the attractions!" Prox Pierrot laughed. The air around him shimmered and he was surrounded by Risen. Without warning they ran at Stellarman.

Rose unhooked the Thorn from its place on her belt. "Thorn Fencer!"

"Switch Magnum, Sword Mode!" the others said as they readied their own weapons. Just in time, as the Risen were on top of them.

Red raised his sword and blocked swings from three Risen just before he danced back and scattered them with one swipe. Their dedication to their cause was strong, but their technique was clumsy. It was all too clear to Red they were intended to overwhelm inferior opponents with raw power. An advantage they didn't have over Stellarman.

"What kind of idealists are willing to throw their own people to the wolves like this?" Red asked, still unable to believe it after all this time.

"They made their made their choice, Red. It's a little late to feel sorry for them," Rose said as she rammed the hilt of the Thorn into a Risen's faceplate. Chips of his visor flew but already she had moved on to another opponent who she slashed hard on the wrist, forcing him to drop his weapon. Even though he knew better to be distracted in the middle of a fight Red couldn't help but stare at her back in disbelief for a second.

As the Risen kept getting up to keep Stellarman from getting any closer Prox Pierrot chortled low in his throat and lifted his opened palms skyward. Ribbons of color, red and pink, flowed from them. One raced into the metal spike he'd planted just before Stellarman arrived, and another into a spike half a block away. Each shot into a spike he'd planted, forming a ring around the battlefield. A circular shape formed above them with red and pink stripes stretching from center to edge. Then, it fold down encircling them. The fighting stopped as Stellarman looked up in surprise.

"What is that thing?" Black asked.

"It looks like a big…circus tent!" Red exclaimed.

"Yes indeed!" Prox Pierrot giggled as he suddenly sprang up behind one shoulder and thrust a cigar into Red's gloved hand then danced away. "Your own personal three-ring circus of fear! Signed, sealed, delivered!"

"Thorn Sniper!" Rose yelled and fired her rifle repeatedly at Prox Pierrot, but the shots merely glanced off.

As the rim of the tent touched the ground, everything went black. Prox Pierrot's laughter seemed to echo forever…

* * *

"I'm gettin' really sick of everything going black and waking up somewhere else," was the first thing Daniel heard after the crazed laughter had faded. He blinked and saw Cliff and Bohdi standing nearby, reverted to normal. A glance down at his ring showed the jewel's glow had gone out. He wasn't very surprised.

"Look on the bright side, Vayon's not here this time," Bohdi said.

"Where are we, guys?" Daniel asked. He ran his hand over the curve of a transparent barrier in front of him that gave a hollow ring like glass when he tapped a knuckle against it. There was a brown blur beyond it, but as soon as he noticed it there was a deafening boom and a sound like a wrecking ball plowing through a wall.

"What the hell was that?!" Cliff exclaimed. A hint of movement caught his eye and all three turned to see three huge, indistinct gray shapes moving in the distance. There was a sound like snide laughter, then another boom and another crash.

"Guys…" Daniel began.

"Risen," Bohdi announced. "Those big gray things are Risen."

"And they're shooting at us," Cliff finished.

* * *

As suddenly as it came the darkness was broken by a spotlight shining down from above Caitlin. Simultaneously another stabbed down about thirty feet in front of revealing Erica, standing on a small wooden platform. To Caitlin's surprise her teammate was clad in a dark purple leotard with flowery trim and matching slippers. She wore an identical outfit but colored a light shell pink.

"What's going on?" Caitlin said.

"I'm glad you asked!" chortled a voice from somewhere below. Another spotlight appeared and some twenty feet below them stood Prox Pierrot on a floor of sawdust. "Ladies and gentlemen, if I may draw your attention to the center ring, I present to you the Sensational Stellar Sisters and their amazing trapeze act!" The spotlight around him expanded and they could see bleachers full of Risen who cheered mockingly. Two of them approached the wooden pillars atop which Caitlin and Erica stood and calmly set fire to the bases with their torches.

"Perform or perish, ladies!" Prox Pierrot grinned up at them. Suddenly a trapeze flew toward Caitlin and without thinking she reached out to grab it and jumped off the platfor. Erica hung from another trapeze as she swung toward Caitlin, and without thinking Caitlin released her grip and sailed through the air to grab Erica by the legs.

"I have an idea," Erica whispered as Caitlin's momentum carried them back the way they came. "When you get close enough push off the pillar. Put some Starlight into it, and maybe we can break through the top of the tent."

Caitlin nodded and readied herself. Holding onto Erica as tight as she could, she swung her lower body up and as soon as she felt the rounded wood beneath her slippers she kicked off again with all the force she could muster, boosting it with the little Starlight she could feel. They rocketed back the other way and the roof of the tent came screaming toward them. There was a moment of resistance then they were facing, not the blue sky over Cape Lombard, but a darkened sky and below it a sprawling fairground. Around it were rows of game booths, light posts doing something about the gloom and around the tent from which they'd just exploded were what looked like wagons to house animals and performers.

And it was coming up to meet her fast.

Instinctively Caitlin reached out and grabbed a cable running from one of the booths to a light post and spun on it again and again like a gymnast to burn off the speed of her rapid descent. Below, Erica landed in an expert somersault and rolled to her feet. Caitlin let go and landed deftly beside her.

"Nice plan you came up with," Caitlin said.

"Nice stopping yourself," Erica smiled. "I'm a little surprised that cord held you up."

"And what the hell's that supposed to mean?" Caitlin snapped, checking the sleek build revealed by her acrobat's costume for bulges.

"Never mind," Erica interrupted. She looked up at the black sky, if indeed that's what it was, and sighed. "I was hoping that'd shoot us back into Cape Lombard, but I guess we were in some kind of tent inside a tent."

All at once there was a strange *booooiiiing* sound and a black ball bounced through the opening they'd made. In mid-air it uncurled into Prox Pierrot. On each hand he had a dragon-like hand puppet with googly eyes, one green and the other yellow. Behind him the entire tent was engulfed a burst of Fire that rocketed skyward, momentarily puncturing a pinhole in the darkness above, then it was gone.

"Ladies, say hello to Chomp and Stomp," he said.

Neither said anything. They could both guess there was nothing fun about the puppets.

"I'd love to stay and chat, but since you won't play with _me_," the monster explained with a melodramatic flourish, "I'll leave you to make friends with the boys while I go see if your friends have a proper sense of humor!"

With that the puppets shot off his arms like missiles while Prox Pierrot himself morphed into a ball and bounced over a row of game booths and out of sight. Caitlin and Erica ducked under the ballistic puppets but they turned in an arc and sped back toward the two.

* * *

The enormous tent covering half of downtown Cape Lombard dominated the screen. If anyone had been looking they would've seen Commander Thebes furiously clench her fists.

"Any luck reaching Stellarman yet?"

"No, Commander," Valentine replied as she operated an entire console at once with her extending fingers.

"Well, keep--"

"I am," Valentine interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Commander Thebes replied, taken aback.

"I'm going to keep trying, like you were about to say."

"…right."

She returned her gaze to the screen where the tent sat, seeming to mock her. Somewhere inside was Stellarman. Somewhere inside was that clown monster. Not to mention whatever else the twisted minds of Proxordo had concocted for their latest little scheme. If only…

If only she could still summon up the strength, she'd be out there with those kids. No, those kids wouldn't be out there in the first place.

Especially not Erica.

Slowly she opened a fist and reached out plaintively toward the screen. "Erica, please…be all right…"

* * *

"It moved! Hit it again!" Cliff yelled. The three youths ran at the side of whatever was holding them in and hit it with their shoulders, and it wobbled sideways for a second. There was another boom, another crash, and the youths leaned on the side of the tilting glass barrier for all they were worth. Their container toppled off its perch, then the next thing they knew they seemed to be floating. There was a shattering noise and they were on the floor of a shooting gallery booth, shards of glass on the ground all around them. Standing behind the booth's partition were three surprised-looking but thankfully equal-sized Risen with rifles, who quickly took aim.

A shot grazed Bohdi's shoulder but he hardly noticed as he hurled himself at the Risen and knocked them all down. Daniel and Cliff threw a pair of flying kicks that knocked a hole in the back of the booth and ran. Bullets whizzed through the air around them as the three scattered and ran through the small tents and empty attractions, never losing sight of each other even as the Risen jumped from the booths to give chase. Cliff ducked and crawled behind a Test-Your-Strength machine and watched the three Risen run past. As they disappeared around a tent with a bearded lady painted on the side, Bohdi and Daniel emerged from the shadows.

"That was close," whispered Bohdi.

"What do you guys say we split up and try to find the girls?" Cliff suggested.

"No," Daniel replied. "We need to stick together if we're gonna survive this place. At least without our powers. Follow me, and keep it quiet."

Bohdi nodded. Cliff shrugged, which was closer to an actual reply than Daniel had been hoping.

They ducked low and scuttled silently from the shadows of one tent to the next. After second they heard a sharp *thunk* sound, a pause, and then another. They peered around the edge of a giant ceramic clown and saw three Risen standing in front of a dunk tank, throwing balls at a bullseye pattern.

Sitting in the cage above the tank, and looking none too happy about it, was Aki. It wasn't hard to guess why; whatever the yellow-green liquid filling the tank was, it bubbled, hissed and sent small jets of steam up at Aki's feet.

"I got this one," one of the Risen said boastfully and pushed his way past the others. He tossed his ball straight up, then caught it and was winding up to throw it when a crate shattered against his head, covering him in nacho cheese.

"Who threw that?!" he screamed.

His answer came when a blur came shooting out of the darkness and Cliff's foot connected with his jaw. Before the other two could react Bohdi and Daniel raced out after him and grappled them.

Cliff's body glowed yellow for a splitsecond as he lifted his opponent above his head. The new kid wouldn't approve of him burning Starlight, but he didn't care. His sister was out there somewhere, and the sooner they ended this fight the sooner they'd start looking for her.

He threw the Risen at the cage surrounding Aki with all his might. The unwilling projectile crashed into the front of the cage and fell back off, but the cage fell with him.

"I didn't know you cared, kid. You only almost crushed me there," Aki said with a half-smirk as she jumped down.

"Don't flatter yourself," Cliff warned her. "I only did it 'cause I don't want a lecture from boss-man over there. Now let's go!"

Aki didn't answer, she just stared up at something over Cliff's shoulder. He turned just in time to see a black ball coming down on top of him, and scrambled out of the way just before it cracked the ground.

"Here's a real live bunch! Maybe they'll be my friends!" it laughed and unrolled into Prox Pierrot.

"You're nuts," Cliff said and took a punch at the monster, who only laughed louder. His arms stretched out to fifteen feet long and grabbed Cliff by the shoulders.

"You're a bee without his sting in here, playmate! And I know people who'd like to try pulling off your wings!" Prox Pierrot threw Cliff through the air and a hole opened in the ground where he was about to land. "But where are my manners?! Front row seats for my prize victim's friends!"

"If you think--" Bohdi started, but never got to finish. The next thing the other three knew, they were falling. Just as soon as they'd started their plummet, though, they had came to a sitting halt. Immediately something snapped down, pinning their arms to their sides. The darkness dispersed and they were back on the darkened fairgrounds, sitting in a dilapidated rollercoaster. Cliff was there too, pinned to his seat like the rest.

"Thank you for coming all this way to enjoy our star attraction, the Killer Corkscrew!" Prox Pierrot called, standing casually on a creaking length of track. He gestured with one sharpened finger toward a wide space of missing track a ways away.

"And I do mean killer…," he chuckled as the car lurched forward.

* * *

Chomp, or was it Stomp, zoomed toward Erica, its plush jaws open wide to take a bite out of her. Suddenly her leg flashed out and the attacking puppet went spinning into and through the side of a concession stand. It shot out again through the back of the stand, snapping as it came in to attack again.

The yellow puppet zigzagged after Caitlin as she desperately flipped and rolled away from it. She snatched up a hard rubber ball from a game booth and jammed it into the puppet's mouth but its teeth sliced right through. Caitlin gasped and dodged before it did the same to her. She landed behind a booth and a second later Erica landed in a crouch beside her.

Erica's attacker zipped in as she stop at the foot of a light pole. Just before it closed its jaws around her neck she ducked and instead it snipped through the power cable running to the top of the pole. Electricity coursed over the killer puppet and after a second it was only a pile of ash on the ground.

"Catie--" "I saw!" With splitsecond timing Caitlin grabbed the other puppet by the neck then rammed it into the light pole behind her. In a burst of power the monster puppet was fried to a crisp.

"That was close," said Caitlin.

"Give yourself more credit, Catie. We did great."

Caitlin realized she was smiling slightly. "You know what, we did. That was a good idea you had to electrocute that puppet…I can't believe I just said that."

"Thanks, Catie, but this just proves I can handle myself, even without my powers."

"I think you're about to get a real test," Caitlin replied and pointed over Erica's shoulder. A hollow clack resounded over the fairgrounds as a roller coaster began to scream down a creaking track, sending sparks flying from the rails as it went. It only took them an instant to spot the gap in the track.

"Is that the guys?" Erica asked, but she was in motion before she even finished, scaling the wooden framework with Caitlin right beside her. They were about halfway to the track when an explosion went off between them. Above them was Pierrot, clutching a cartoon bomb in each hand.

"The line for the next ride starts back there, kiddies! You'll have to go back and wait your turn like everyone else!" He dropped the bombs and the girls desperately climbed out of the way in opposite directions. The bombs went off and splinters went flying and the framework creaked and started to sag.

"Catie--" Erica began, then noticed her teammate scuttling up the web of planks in Prox Pierrot's direction. He lobbed a bomb which she kicked away so it didn't damage the track even as he pulled another bomb from under his tailed cap. She had the monster's complete attention. Above came a metal whine as the car came closer. There was no time to lose.

With inhuman speed and grace Erica pulled herself to the top of the track. The car sped past where Caitlin was dodging back and forth avoiding the monster's bombs, and they flipped over it almost by reflex. The car kept coming until she could see the terrified looks on Daniel and Aki's faces, but by then Erica had already wrenched two metal spikes from the track. The car was only a few feet away when she dropped through the slats and thrust the spikes she held into the car's front wheels.

Then she was freefalling through the inside of the scaffolding. Wooden beams flashed past, but she caught a beam, swung forward, tucked herself into a ball and landed deftly on both feet. She ran outside the scaffolding and looked up at the gaping hole in the track. The car holding her teammates creaked along to the edge of the drop, sparks shooting from the wheels as they groaned in protest from the spikes she'd shoved into them. Finally, it stopped just before about before the gap.

"Thank God," Erica sighed with relief.

At the same time Prox Pierrot lobbed a pair of bombs at Caitlin who caught them and chucked them skyward. There was a blast and a sound like canvas tearing before a shaft of sunlight lanced down from a hole above them.

All at once, a warm feeling descended on Erica. The pendant around her neck shimmered light purple.

"Rose Nexus, Unlock!" she yelled with an intensity born of relief. Purple energy swathed her body in the uniform of StellarRose. Prox Pierrot laughed at her as if she honestly thought anything would be different this time. She ignored him. "Valentine, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Rose. What can I get you?" the robot replied.

"Send out the Auto Swan."

"Erica, are you crazy?!" Commander Thebes cut in. "They only finished putting it together yesterday! We haven't tested it--"

"Valentine?" Rose interrupted.

"It's on its way!" Valentine said in an electric voice brimming with enthusiasm. "Kick butt, Rose!"

"Erica, let them use the Supernova--" Thebes started, but Rose switched off her communicator. She couldn't spare the attention. Caitlin had transformed to StellarPink but was having a hard time keeping Prox Pierrot from the car where the others were still trapped. His arms extended and retracted as he threw punches at her. One caught her on the shoulder and she teetered on the edge of the track.

Then there was the sound of a roaring engine and a sleek buggy plated with purple armor came soared the opening in the sky and landed on the track between the combatants and the car. Rose jumped into the driver's seat and immediately gatling guns on either side of the chassis were spewing fire in Prox Pierrot's direction. The monster gasped in surprise as holes appeared in his torso, arms and legs. He folded into his ball form and bounced away but Rose steered her souped-up special off the track after him. The ball bounced around chaotically but Rose kept firing, tearing up tents and booths as they sped across the fairground.

Pink jumped to the side of the roller coaster and pulled the roll bar off Daniel's shoulders. "Are you guys okay?"

"You think a stupid roller coaster can get to me?" Cliff scoffed.

"Let's just get off this thing," Daniel interrupted. "I have a feeling we won't want to be up here when Erica catches up to that monster."

Bombs erupted from the bouncing ball, exploding as they hit the ground, but the Auto Swan came speeding through without so much as a scuff on its armor plating. Rose gunned the engine and shot up a booth that was at a slant, launching the Auto Swan in the air. The instant her guns were level with the black ball in front of her, she fired. A scream escaped the ball which flashed back into the colorful but singed formed of Prox Pierrot. He collapsed on the ground as the Auto Swan screeched to a halt by his side.

The blackened sky rapidly brightened until it was bright blue once again, and the remnants of the fairground seemed to unravel, vanishing bit by bit until they were on a street in downtown Cape Lombard again.

"I hate to admit it, but…my tricks are nothing to yours," Prox Pierrot grinned weakly.

"Wait 'til you get a load of this, then," said StellarRed as he and the others ran up. Without waiting he deposited the Supernova's card in his Battle Dealer and in the blink of an eye the heavy cannon appeared between the five young warriors.

As the central barrel and the smaller ring around it glowed, Prox Pierrot smiled and took a bow. The thick beam flew and red, black, blue, yellow and pink coiled around it. It ripped right through the monster in a burst of light, leaving nothing but a pile of charred debris.

"Keep your eyes, peeled, everybody. Kamandetes and his buddies are probably around here somewhere," Red warned.

"Red…" Rose said warningly herself. They turned to see what she was talking about, and spotted a glowing orange orb floating out Prox Pierrot's pieces. It shot upward, then flared. After it cleared there was Prox Pierrot, grown to enormous size.

"The show must go on!" he laughed, shaking the buildings beside him.

"Here we go again," Rise said and produced her twin cards as the Auto Swan zoomed out of the way just before his foot came crashing down on top of it. The monster lumbered after her but out of nowhere Equuleus shot out and rammed his shoulder, knocking him off-balance. In the instant he was distracted Cygnus swooped down and a hatch opened in its underside that swallowed up the Auto Swan. The car's seat rose into the cockpit.

"Star Cross!" StellarRose commanded. The two robotic animals exploded with light and in their place stood Rose Valkyrie, calmly hefting its lance. "You've had your fun, now I'm putting you down."

"Ha! First you've got to get close enough to use that thing!" Prox Pierrot threw a punch, his arm stretching like rubber so his fist hit Rose Valkyrie from three blocks away. The robot staggered, but recovered quickly and jetted at Prox Pierrot brandishing its lance. With a giggle the monster balled up and bounced over its head. Rose yanked back on the throttle as hard as she could to keep from impaling a building.

"Oh don't feel bad about missing that one! Here's a reward for trying so hard!" A bouquet of daffodils poofed into Prox Pierro's hand. A stream of acid squirted from the blossoms but Rose Valkyrie jumped and flipped over Prox Pierrot's head.

Before Rose Valkyrie had even started its descent, though, Prox Pierrot turned into a ball and slammed into its middle. The robot landed on its back and Prox Pierrot continued to bounce back and forth chaotically, crashing into skyscrapers and flattening smaller buildings.

"I can do this all day, what about you?!" he laughed and bounced away.

"I don't have to," Rose whispered. "Final Pursuit!" Jets on Rose Valkyrie's back flared and it flew after Prox Pierrot, lifting its lance to throw.

"All-Father's Eye," Rose whispered, then her robot threw the lance with all its might. The weapon bored straight Prox Pierrot. He glistened, reverting to his humanoid form, but with a gaping hole in his torso. Despite the energy crackling over his body signaling his imminent demise, his grin didn't dim at all.

"Laugh, and the world laughs with you! Weep, and you weep alone," he said as if explaining himself, then burst like a balloon.

The fiery burst could be seen from blocks away, and seen it was. Kamandetes, perched on top of a building, watched his creation's destruction.

"Successful test," he said to the air before vanishing.

* * *

The wind rustled through his hair, barely noticed as the city skyline came into view. It had taken a long time to make it, but finally, there it was. He stood up and stretched his aching legs as the train beneath him continued to thunder along, completely ignorant of the passenger on the roof. He could've paid for a ticket like everyone else, but…he wasn't like everyone else.

As soon as the train passed its first building he crouched, then took a flying leap off. A block passed underneath him, then another, and yet another. Finally he landed in a vacant lot.

Five points of power, that's how many they'd found…no, six. Well, wasn't that a surprise, he thought. It didn't matter, he'd deal with all of them soon enough.

He shouldered his ragged backpack and stepped into the street. It was good to be back.


	17. Phase 17: Kindred

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 17: Kindred

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Proxordo.

He'd chosen that name for the new order he'd start. The one that would exterminate the corrupt, fractured civilization infesting his planet.

He'd been inspired to form it from among those few with the strength to acknowledge that the world was on the road to ruin. After a miraculous power had opened his eyes to the true state of affairs.

A power he'd thought was insurmountable, limited only by his own threshold to channel it. A power capable of burning away the corruption of his blighted world.

The Fire of Truth.

But then, his followers had run afoul of a group of beings with incredible power of their own. At first they hadn't been much of an obstacle, but over time that had changed. No matter what he sent against them, they overcame it, and they seemed to become more and more formidable with every setback they presented him. Even when he stripped them of their most potent weapon, another one, another member, simply sprang up in its place.

Vayon gazed up at the multi-colored machine they called StellarSavage, its head brushing the top of the cavern where it he'd secreted it away. There were traces within it of whatever gave Stellarman their abilities. Potent, yet passive. Completely malleable to the whims of its wielder. To one driven to carve out a greater future by the same power that made such a deed possible, like himself, it was almost…obscene.

But there was no time for such thoughts. Stellarman was still out there, waiting for him to return,and he dared not give them too long to wait. The Fire would show him a solution, he had just had to believe…

* * *

Erica slid her sheet of calculus equations into the binder and flipped it shut. She'd been over work three times, but it had taken an hour and a half. She glanced at the alarm clock beside the TV, and to her relief it indeed read 7:15 pm. Her loving mother would be turning things over to Valentine like clockwork, and the rest of Stellarman would be getting home after training. And she'd have been with them, if her mom had any sense.

It was the same old story. "Erica, if StellarSavage hadn't been stolen we probably could just put you into the team, but you've to look out for yourself. Without you, we're sitting ducks if one of those giant Truthcraft appears."

There was something to the Commander's concerns, she was willing to admit, but damn it, she had a brain. She was a member of Stellarman, not a weapon or resource. How was she expected to work in synch with the others if dear Commander Thebes wouldn't let her train with the others in the interests of saving her strength. As if that was really the issue.

Erica was about to turn on her computer and see if there was any good movies playing nearby when she picked up her phone instead. Her regular desktop phone. After a few rings a familiar voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Daniel? It's Erica. You doing anything right now?"

"Kind of. Aki's having me meet her parents tonight."

"…what?" Erica asked, unable to speak for a second after that.

"They want her to meet somebody, and she kinda needled me into pretending we're dating."

"That sounds like something on a retarded sitcom."

"Maybe, but it's keeping morale up, and that's something I really need to make sure I do with Proxordo getting tougher."

"…so you're gonna go along with this until when, exactly?" Erica said.

"Erica, don't take this the wrong way, but was there something you wanted?"

The line was silent for a moment. "I was hoping I could talk to someone I can relate to. Daniel, if you've got plans tonight that's fine, but I don't live that far away. If you're not too tired when you're done, could we meet? Please?"

"All right," Daniel answered. "I do owe you for that time with Haikoga."

"Thanks," Erica said, the word heavy with relief.

"It's what I'm here for, right?"

* * *

A raging bolt of fire jumped from Kamandetes's hand through a row of three round lenses the size of hubcaps. It swelled larger and larger as it passed through each one until it reached a round orange pod that sucked the energy in and throbbed with orange light.

Immediately the black knight fell to his knees and gasped. Another pod was ready, but it had taken all the Fire he could muster to charge it. It wouldn't be such an effort if Dione and Haikoga were willing to contribute to the effort, but after their first battle without Vayon's supervision they'd mostly avoided him.

So what, though. Let them see what Vayon thought of their idleness when he came back and relieved them of the frightening task of using their brains. While he, the serpent, had found a way to surpass his limitations and keep fighting for their cause without Master Vayon around to do his thinking for him or provide enough Fire to bring a Truthcraft to life.

It did feel odd to be back in the lab, though, no matter how spectacular his achievement. Unconsciously, his hand closed itself around the hilt of his sword. After all, hadn't he joined Proxordo for the strength to heft that blade? Even if he still did most of the work designing Truthcraft, which Dione thoughtfully kept stealing the credit for when all she did was come up with a general outline for attacks.

Well, not anymore. It pained him to sacrifice being part of the battle to create a Truthcraft, but his power wasn't there to satisfy his urges, it was to make Master Vayon's vision of a better world.

He picked up the cell he'd just charged. "Time to go to work…" Kamandetes said.

* * *

Daniel picked at his dinner with a fork. He felt completely out of his element; he couldn't even remember the name of the place where they were eating. The middle-aged Asian couple across the table from him and Aki didn't seem to notice. Beatific smiles had lit up their wrinkled faces for the last hour, at least when they weren't peppering him with questions.

"So Daniel, what do your parents do?" Mrs. Yamashita asked.

"Well, I've lived with my uncle for a while, actually. He's a partner at a law firm downtown. Sometimes I help with clean-up or organization around the office."

"Sorry to hear about your parents. It's rough not having them around, even at your age," Aki's father said sympathetically.

"Oh, they're alive. I just…haven't talked to them in a while," Daniel sighed. He looked up at their faces, searching for some indication of much damage he'd done to their regard for their daughter's boyfriend, but slowly sympathetic expressions settled in.

"So…Aki," Mrs. Yamashita said, changing gears, "Just how did you and Daniel meet? You've never told us."

"Ah, it was nothing too special, really," Aki said jovially. "He saved me when one of those monsters showed up and almost crushed me. He actually did sweep me off my feet." She grinned at Daniel.

"Instinct kind of kicked in when I saw her in trouble."

"That's good," Aki's father grinned. "Sounds like you'll take great care of Aki."

"He's been doing a great job so far," Aki said with a smile.

"Well I hope you two--" Aki's mom started to say there was a flash followed a split second later by a deafening roar. A red line appeared on Mrs. Yamashita's cheek as the window was blown in. Aki became a blur as she flew over the table and tackled her parents beneath a storm of flying glass. Daniel hurled himself to the ground but felt a few speeding shards slash through his jacket anyway.

Restaurant patrons ran off in every direction except the caved-in window, and with practiced ease Aki and Daniel vanished into the panicked mob. A second later they'd slipped into the street. Stomping along was another Truthcraft, this one almost nine feet tall and with a body that looked to be carved out of gray stone.

"Cosmic Evolution!" both yelled as they sprinted out of the way. In the blink of an eye Aki and Daniel were gone, and StellarBlue and StellarRed had returned. The Truthcraft turned and smiled with silvery teeth.

"_There _you are," he said in a voice like rocks grinding together. "I wanted to smash all six of you, but this is a decent start." He took off at a barreling run, shaking the ground with every step. Red and Blue flipped over him but all at once he turned around and battered them with his huge fists. Blue bounded back up and loaded a card into her Battle Dealer.

"Arm Card Set. Dual Calibur."

Her two scimitars appeared and she slashed with one then the other. Sparks flew but the monster's rocky skin wasn't even marked. He threw another punch that grazed her helmet even as she fell to the ground to dodge it. He raised his other fist and started to bring it down on her like a giant hammer.

"Oh no you don't!" Red yelled as he threw a punch of his own to intercept the monster's, his Clash Knuckle shielding his arm. Red's teeth rattled as the force of the blow traveled into his body but he ignored the pain and punched again, this time connecting with the monster's jaw and forcing him back a few steps. He punched again, forcing the monster back, but by that time his arm was completely numb.

"Earth Hail!" The monster opened his gaping mouth wide and a storm of rocks blasted out. They pelted against Red and sent him flying into a streetlight.

"Prox Stone is invincible!" the monster laughed. "Bring all six, I'll squash them all!"

"You don't prove you're strong by crashing a weakling, idiot," said a snide voice behind him. He angrily whirled around to see a young man in a battered jacket and jeans. His brown hair was unkempt, his rugged features covered by a day's stubble, but it was the contemptuous sneer that caught Prox Stone's attention.

"Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?!" the monster bellowed.

"More than just a stupid puppet, for one thing."

Prox Stone sputtered angrily and spewed rocks at the newcomer, but his hands suddenly glowed bright red and he fired a globe of energy from his palms. It blasted through the rocks coming at him and into Prox Stone's mouth. Before the surprised Truthcraft could even register what had happened the young man blazed forward, seized him with glowing hands and hurled him through the wall of the nearest building as if throwing a baseball.

"Thanks, I--" Red started to say.

"Who are you supposed to be?" the young man cut him off.

"I'm StellarRed."

"Ah, I thought so," the young man said, sounding distinctly amused. He threw another energy ball at Blue. She dodged nimbly but she turned to see him standing right in front of her and gasped.

"Kyle??"

"Nice to see you too, Akiko," he smiled before punching her in the stomach. She flew into a brick wall and before Red could react this Kyle person dashed over to him like a streak of light and grabbed him around the throat.

"And you," he said, sounding disgusted. Red kicked him in the side as hard as he could but his attacker just tightened his grip. Desperately Red shoved a card into his Battle Dealer.

"Alpha Card Set. Lupus."

"Heavy…Fang Chop!" he gasped and slammed a glowing forearm onto Kyle's shoulder, but the impact was far weaker than he'd expected, as if he was hitting a rubber wall. The pressure on Red's neck weakened ever so slightly, and it was enough for Red to shove him off.

"I was gonna go easy on you before, buddy," Red said. "Switch Magnum!" He drew his weapon and fired repeatedly. Kyle blocked each shot with a glowing palm then with horrific speed threw a glowing ball that hit the ground at Red's feet. There was an explosion and the world became a blur. The next thing he knew his ears were ringing and he was looking up at Kyle.

"Don't worry, I won't go easy on him. Thorn Sniper!" a sharp female voice rang out just before a violet bolt grazed his shoulder. Kyle grunted, more in annoyance than pain it sounded like. StellarRose landed in a crouch in front of Red, clutching her rifle.

"I don't think I've seen you before," Kyle said. "Love the color, though."

He was probably trying to lure her into bantering back, but Rose didn't bite. "Thorn Fencer," was all she said. The rifle barrel retracted, sprouting a long blade in its place. Rose and Kyle circled each other when he threw an energy ball. She jumped high, coming down in a powerful jump kick. Her boot slammed into his chest but Kyle only grunted. He lashed out with a glowing punch which she blocked on the blade of her sword.

"You're…not bad," he said, trying to punch her in the stomach while her attention was on his other fist but Rose grabbed him by the wrist.

"I heard you were better," Rose fired back. She jumped back from the stalemate and slashed Kyle across the chest. A red ribbon showed the path of the blade, but impossibly, he smiled.

"I was right, this will be interesting," he said. His hands glowed red and he clapped them together. A blaze of red erupted from them, filling the street. It only lasted a second, but by the time it cleared the young man was gone.

* * *

All around him, Vayon could see nothing but the Fire of Truth. He saw Dione's face form in the billowing tongues but just as quickly it melted away. He chided himself for allowing this distraction and resumed his concentration, waiting for the power that had given him purpose to provide an answer to his dilemma as it always had in the past.

Suddenly the dome of Fire that surrounded him erupted in burning outlines of five-pointed stars. The touch of an energy which he recognized as the passive power that Stellarman wielded raced up his feet, through his legs, his chest, his arms and out again through his eyes as red beams.

He collapsed, the Fire dispersing along with his concentration. After a second the feeling of the invasive energy had faded, but Vayon was in no danger of forgetting what had just happened.

"Stellarman…what are they up to? Perhaps I'd better look into this personally…"

* * *

Daniel sat fuming in his chair at the Sol Dome meeting table. Bohdi, Erica and Aki were nearby, no one saying a word. The door slid open and Cliff and Caitlin entered silently into the room. Caitlin did, anyway.

"Somebody want to tell me what's so important I have to spend my night here at the dome?"

"Kyle's back, kid," Aki said.

Cliff froze. "What?"

"Am I the only one who doesn't know who this guy is?" Daniel asked, shaken and aggravated.

"I've got his file here, Daniel," Valentine said as she entered. "Trust me, he's one scary guy."

She placed a rectangular object on the table which sprouted an antenna which projected an image onto the wall. It was the young man who'd bounced them around the street not half an hour ago, with a fresh shave. Underneath it was the legend "Kyle SURNAME UNKNOWN."

"Kyle was the first person we found who was able to tap into the red spectrum of Starlight. His power was beyond anything we'd ever seen, but…" Valentine paused, measuring her words.

"The guy was an even bigger psycho than Vayon," Cliff finished for her. "I still got scars from when he blew up that alien tank thing when I was right next to it. My dad grounded me when he saw 'em 'cuz he thought he I was picking fights."

"Yeah, what Cliff said." Valentine pressed a button on the projector and the image changed to show a video of StellarRed doing a spin-kick that broke the purple humanoid in its way completely in half. Indigo blood splattered everywhere. "The team was under orders to capture these invaders so we could learn where they were hiding out."

"Kyle was always something of a nihilist," Bohdi explained. "He always used his full strength, no matter what the job called for. Right after he kicked that one creature in half one of its buddies surrendered, and he kicked its head off. By the end we were starting to think he was a bit psychotic."

Daniel shot Cliff a glance, but said nothing. Neither did Cliff.

"Kyle went too far when he shot a blast of Starlight at this one alien and it went right through him," said Valentine. "See, he was standing in front of his doomsday weapon, and Kyle's shot turned it on. The others managed to shut it down, but Thebes wasn't gonna take another chance on Kyle, no matter how powerful he was."

"Thebes?" Daniel asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, you guys call her that all the time."

"Never mind. What happened next?"

"She had the parts of his memory about being a Stellarman and having his powers erased. After that, some guys took him downtown and dropped him off. We never thought we'd see him again."

"This is all I need when Proxordo's already acting weird," Daniel groaned. "Everybody, keep an eye out for this guy. Call in if you think you even see his shadow, get me?"

"Yeah, we get it," Cliff replied, his usual snide tone absent.

"Everything was going great until this crap happened," Aki groaned.

"I'll see you guys later, I really need to get back," Daniel said and got up. "By the way, where's Thebes? I kind of thought she'd be here."

"She'd overseeing a new project," Valentine answered.

"That's fine, I'd rather not have to deal with her after this anyway," Erica sighed. "See you next time there's trouble, guys."

Daniel followed her into the hall. "So…what'd you want to talk about?"

"What? Oh…oh yeah," Erica asked, her concerns forgotten in the wake of Kyle's reappearance. "I guess I…hmmm. I guess I wanted someone to complain to about things with my mom. She watches me all the time when I train, when I do anything. Damn it, I don't even live with her anymore."

Daniel shrugged, a soft smile on his face. "I know bad parents, trust me."

Erica gave him a surprised look. "Really? You don't seem like it."

"Well," Daniel said with a pause and took a seat on a bench beside her. He didn't say anything for a while, but Erica didn't prompt him.

"Ya see, I first found about my Starlight when I was about…nine, I guess. And me, being a kid who just found out he had super powers, I rushed home to show my parents. What happened wasn't quite what I was expecting.

"My father, bless his soul, thought this was proof there was…well, let's just say something evil about me. He tried a million things to get me to admit my powers were evil and to save my soul, and one day maybe a year or so later he woke up and I wasn't there. I walked fifty miles to my uncle's house and I never looked back."

"Damn."

"Eh, I think I turned out okay."

"That doesn't sound like something you tell a lot of people," Erica guessed.

"You're the first since I moved to Cape Lombard."

"Why are you telling me this? You only meet me like a week ago."

"Because I'm supposed to be the leader of this outfit, right? If you guys can't talk to me, what am I doing here?"

"That's not all, is it?"

"What are you talking about? Erica smiled softly. "Nothing. You need a ride back to Armstrong?"

"Sure. Say, Erica?"

"Yes?"

"How does basketball with trolls sound to you?"

* * *

"I'm telling you, I don't need any enhancements!" Prox Stone roared, easily flinging aside the Risen trying to usher him into a transparent tube. Suddenly he yelped in pain as something sharp and thin jabbed into the space between his shoulder and arm. It was the tip of Kamandetes's sword.

"You were doing fine until that 'kid' showed up and blasted you through the wall," the black knight said. "He didn't even need a power suit like those others to put up a fight."

"He caught me by surprise."

"I've invested a lot in you, Prox Stone. I'm afraid I can't take your word for that." Kamandetes kicked his creation into the tube. A Risen threw a switch on the wall and crackling Veritium crystals poured down a pair of chutes attached to the tube. As they touched Prox Stone they melted into his body. The monster roared, shaking the very room.

"If only I knew why Master Vayon values confidence over brains in you toys," Kamandetes sighed. "As soon as you've finished up, you and I are going on a little hunting trip…"

* * *

The digits on the car Erica borrowed read quarter to ten. Daniel was a bit surprised it wasn't 3:37. As the headlights lanced into the gloom of he couldn't help noticing how few other people and drivers were out.

"Hey, Danny? What are you thinking about?"

"A lot of things."

"Is one of them Aki?"

He sighed. "Not really. I keep asking her how far she's gonna take this thing with me and her, but I don't think she knows either. I mean, she's cool and everything, but…"

"Not your type?"

"I was gonna say has a year of high school to go but that too."

"I'm kind of impressed. I thought Kyle would be the only thing on your mind."

"I think about other things than being StellarRed, you know."

Erica smiled a little. "Yeah, I do know."

"Erica, I've been meaning to ask, how come you and your mom aren't the same ethnicity?"

"She says I get it from my dad--" she started to say when all of a sudden red light engulfed the car. The squeal of rubber on asphalt filled the air before it was replaced by the sound of the hood caving in thanks to the streetlight it had careened into. The two wrenched the doors opened and leaped out, and to neither of their surprise, there stood Kyle on the sidewalk, his hands still glowing red.

"If it isn't Mr. Personality," Daniel said. "Haven't seen you for a whole hour."

Kyle sneered at him. "You tap the same Starlight as me, you're easy to find if you know how to look."

Erica's Rose Nexus shimmered with power but Kyle's sneer didn't budge in the last. "Oh yes, your girlfriend who can actually put up a fight. See, when I decided to see if you were any better when you were rested up, I made sure certain people followed me here."

As if on cue Prox Stone crashed the wall of a building, a line of Risen trailing behind him. Rocky spikes had sprouted from his knuckles and shoulders, and a thick spire of rough red crystal extended out of his chest. Before Erica and Daniel could confer Kyle flew at them like a missile, caving in the car door with his fist.

"Cosmic Evolution!"

"Rose Nexus, Unlock!"

"I was hoping you'd say that," Kyle said as he effortlessly dodged StellarRed's first punch and thrust his own into Red's stomach.

Prox Stone charged StellarRose like a rhino, aiming a spiked shoulder at her. With blinding speed she grabbed a Risen that was circling behind her and shoved him into Prox Stone's way. He uttered a strangled cry as his armor was pierced by the monster's spikes but it gave Rose a chance to draw her weapon.

"Thorn Fencer!" The thin blade emerged from the grip but skittered uselessly off Prox Stone's thick hide.

"Earth Hail!" the monster yelled and opened his terrifying mouth, expectorating rock after rock. One splintered against Rose's shoulder. She but ducked behind a parked car, rocks crunching against the side like machine gun fire. She'd only felt the slightest pain from the hit she'd taken, but she was getting nowhere and she wasn't about to let Red take on his predecessor all by himself. He just didn't have the power…

Kyle threw a glowing punch at Red's face, but he caught Kyle's arm and flipped him over his glistening helmet. Kyle twisted in mid-air and landed on his feet, swiftly kicking Red hard in the back. He staggered against a wall and with a shaking hand gripped his Switch Magnum. Kyle dashed up to him.

"Switch Magnum, Sword Mode!" Red swiped at Kyle, who laughed as he ducked under the swinging blade. He grabbed Red by the wrist and jerked it violently, forcing the weapon to drop from Red's hand.

"Pitiful. Why are you holding back against someone who isn't? And what is _this_??" Kyle demanded as he inspected Red's Battle Dealer. "I didn't have one of those."

Red suddenly elbowed Kyle in the face and whipped out a pair of cards. "Let me show you what it does, if you're so dead set on getting your tail kicked."

"Alpha Card Set. Lupus. Arm Card Set. Clash Knuckle." Crimson light wreathed StellarRed's body as the Battle Dealer super-charged his Starlight. He punched Kyle with all his amplified might but he couldn't feel any impact at all. He felt it when Kyle rammed his fist into Red's chin and lofted him into the air, though. Red came crashing down on a stack of trash cans.

"What the hell's going on??"

"Whatever it is, it doesn't look too good for you, does it?!" Kyle closed in again, balling red fists. Suddenly four blazing beams hit the ground in between the two just before the rest of Stellarman ran up, their Switch Magnums trained on Kyle. "Don't you know what a private party is?"

"Don't you know what a team is?" Black fired back.

"Don't get cute with me, square-head. I was only interested in your friend wearing my suit, but if you'd all like some new bruises I'm sure I can help you out."

"You haven't changed a bit, Kyle. You still only care about hurting things."

Kyle's expression didn't budge. He just sent a power ball screaming at Black's chest.

Black didn't flinch. "Arm Card Set. Stellash. Beta Card Set. Monoceros."

"Twilight Crusade," Black whispered. A white glow suffused his uniform and the Stellash went rigid, forming a long lance. He dashed around Kyle's projectile and gouged Kyle's side. Black was expecting a cry of pain, some kind of acknowledgement his opponent just had his torso torn open.

Kyle didn't give him one. He pressed a hand to the dark red blotch on his shirt briefly, then clapped his hands. Their vision turned red even through their visors, and when it cleared again, Kyle was nowhere to be seen.

"I bet he's really missing that suit now," Black whispered. "You okay, Red?"

"Yeah, I think so…where's Rose?"

"Thorn Capture!" She hurled her ring around a Risen's waist then swung it at Prox Stone with a chain attached to the Thorn. She bashed it against Prox Stone, cracking his side and sending him staggering. The crystal on the monster's chest flared and a beam shot that covered Rose's forearm in a sheath of red crystal. Again it flared and blasted Rose's helmet, covering the surprised woman's head.

Immediately Red was beside her and smashed the crystal with a blow from the Clash Knuckle. "Yellow! Only blunt force seems to work on that thing."

"Way ahead of you, new kid."

"Arm Card Set. Grav-Hammer. Beta Card Set. Ursa." Yellow gripped his war hammer and lunged at Prox Stone. He bashed his weapon into the cracks Rose had made in Prox Stone's side, his uniform covered in Ursa's green energy. Prox Stone kicked him hard in the side, knocking him off balance as the monster blasted energy from its chest-crystal. It wrapped around his leg and started to harden but Yellow brought his hammer high over his head and the Starlight covering him glowed even brighter. "Bear Blitzer!" Yellow bashed Prox Stone hard enough to crush the glowing red crystal. He hit again and left a crater in the monster's chest.

"Arm Card Set. Supernova." Red's Battle Dealer said an instant before Stellarman's cannon blinked into being in the middle of the group. They each seized the weapon and poured their Starlight into its firing chamber. As it had before, Supernova launched its axis beam as the five thinner beams spiraled around it and blasted through the monster's torso. With a last grinding scream Prox Stone burst, scattering stone chips all over the street.

From out of the gravel rain floated an orange sphere. Red realized he hadn't even noticed it was there until Prox Stone reappeared covering the sky. A moment later Cygnus across the sky and he could see Equuleus behind the row of buildings next to them. The horse jumped, touched Cygnus's underside and in a flash Rose Valkyrie appeared, shoving Prox Stone away from them. Ursa bounded from rooftop to rooftop before separating into armor and gauntlets, locking into place over Rose Valkyrie's head, shoulders, chest and arms. The monster threw a flurry of punches but Rose Valkyrie raised its thick gauntlets and blocked them one after another.

A sigh of relief escaped Red's mouth. Even with things on his mind his team knew what to do. Even Cliff. Not that they would need much direction in this situation, of course…

Rose Valkyrie punched Prox Stone in the chest, shattering the pulsing crystal. The monster punched back but the robot dodged nimbly around the spiked rock fist. It grabbed Prox Stone in a powerful bear hug and squeezed with all its mechanical might. White light poured through the cracks that formed all over Prox Stone's body as he imploded.

The team still on the ground cheered.

Red, however, was quiet. "Seems like I'm either gonna have an interesting rivalry, or a short one…" he thought as Rose Valkyrie struck a triumphant pose.


	18. Phase 18: Aqua

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 18: Aqua

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

"…so?"

"I have it right here," the Risen said as he handed Dione a printout with a trembling hand.

"Your courage is to be admired," Dione said. "Now hurry back before you're missed."

"Thank you," the Risen said and slipped out of Dione's room. Alone for the moment she held up the supply report the Risen had managed to sneak out for her and almost dropped it.

VERITIUM STORAGE: 9%

Nine damn percent?! Kamandetes had drained their stores of Veritium to _nine_ percent?! They'd been full when Vayon had left! Just what was that armor-plated imbecile up to that required so much Veritium?

"Maybe we'd better go check on him before he uses every last pebble," a silky smooth voice whispered in Dione's ear. A chill ran up her spine.

"Don't you dare start giving me advice," Dione said, anger gripping her. "He removed you, made you something completely separate from me."

"Ah, but how long has it been since you let me out to play?" her conversation partner said wistfully. "Bottling up all those negative emotions is so unhealthy…"

It had been quite a while since Dione had released her darkling twin, she realized. She hadn't needed to while she oversaw the various mundane tasks that kept Haven airborne and undetected from the world below.

"Do you really think Vayon will be happy to come back and see how nobody's done a damn thing while he was away? He could be on his way back right now, and you'd have nothing to show for the weeks he's been gone. A fine example you'd be setting for the new order," Dishadow said.

Dione clenched her teeth and her fists. At first she thought it was indignation at Dishadow's mockery, but after a second the idea that there might be a kernel of validity there occurred to her.

She was one of Amro Vayon's hand-picked elite. How could she simply stand around and do nothing to further their cause while he wasn't around to direct them personally? Wasn't any expenditure, any amount of Veritium worth it to realize Vayon's vision of a better world?

She flew out of her chambers and through the halls until she outside the Truthcraft processing lab. The doors remained shut as she approached but her access code quickly solved that. In a way, she was reassured. If Kamandetes really thought they were hopeless, surely he would've changed the codes to keep them out.

The black knight stood in front of a glass wall, behind which were not one but two Truthcraft. One large and hulking, the other slimmer, almost feminine in form. No wonder so much Veritium had disappeared.

Kamandetes turned to face her. "What brings you to my dark little corner?" he said simply.

"I…I've come to help." As she said it she wished he didn't wear that armor of his all the time. She would've been grateful for a face to examine for a reaction. Come to think of it, she'd never actually seen Kamandetes's face.

"Is that so? And what brought about this miraculous change of attitude, hmmm?"

"Because we need to advance our cause no matter what, and getting rid of Stellarman's a step in the right direction."

"Interesting," Kamandetes replied. "Well, this will be something of an experiment, and someone to help me supervise things might not be such a bad idea."

"Experiment?"

"Yes, indeed," Kamandetes explained. "We've never created Truthcraft with powers that were designed from the beginning to be complementary in combat. This is indeed a first in Proxordo's history…"

* * *

An infernal ringing roused Erica from blurry dreams of giant snails and gibbering watermelons. As it sounded again she realized it was her phone and rolled awkwardly out of bed and crawled over to her desk and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

There was no answer. The ring came again and this time she was awake enough to recognize it was coming from her Stellphone. She hit the receive button just before it signaled again.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Erica."

"Aki? What's the matter?"

"I just wanted to talk, is that so weird? Get in a little girl bonding?"

"This thing chafes my ear if I talk on it for too long," Erica said.

"We can talk in person. I'm in the lobby."

"You're what??"

"See you in a couple minutes," Aki said and hung up.

Hardly believing what she was doing, Erica threw on some clothes and caught the elevator to the ground floor. There, watching the lobby TV as she waited, was Aki. She didn't look up until Erica walked over and tapped her on the shoulder.

"There you are! That was fast," Aki beamed.

"So what'd you want to talk about that you couldn't mention over the phone?" Erica asked, still feeling half-asleep.

"Let's walk and talk, huh?" Aki walked out of the building.

"Aki, I'm flattered you want to bond, but--" Erica began as soon as they were outside.

"How are you getting through to my boyfriend?" Aki said suddenly.

"_Excuse_ me?"

"I heard you guys talking last night. Daniel's supposed to be going out with me, but he hardly even knows you and he's opening up to you. How did you get him to do that? Is it the purple?"

"I just like purple…wait, why are you asking me this anyway? You guys aren't actually going out or anything."

"My parents think we are. That's the whole reason I asked him to do this."

"How far are you guys planning to take this?" Erica asked.

"Well, not like all the way to third base or anything--"

"You don't have an answer for that, do you?"

Aki grimaced. "I just came to ask for a little advice."

"Here it is, then: why don't you find an actual boyfriend? Daniel's the leader, not to mention he's got his own life. Don't you think maybe he's got better things to do with his time than pretend to date you?" Erica said, amazed at how annoyed she sounded. She didn't even have anything against Aki.

"What about you guys? You just wanted to have someone to talk to and it had to be him."

"That's not the same thing at all!"

"Well excuse me for asking for help!" Aki snapped.

"If you're gonna get help, get it for something that isn't totally stupid!"

"Totally stupid?! This thing with Daniel's keeping my parents off my back, and that's keeping me sane enough to fight monsters!"

"Don't be such a drama queen!" Erica snapped.

Aki stood there fuming for a second, then spun on her heel and stormed off. Erica was all too happy to see Aki leave.

* * *

Halfway through Introduction to Theology Erica had managed forget about Aki's impromptu visit. She scribbled notes on what the professor had just said when she felt a gentle nudge against her ribs. Erica started to feel annoyed all over again but looked over to see the familiar brown-haired girl she shared a living space with. She'd had to fight with her mother to have a roommate, too.

"Hi, Kathy."

"Where were you last night?" Kathy whispered to her.

"I know I got back late, I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"What were you doing?" Kathy pressed.

"I was out with this guy I met."

"What guy? I didn't think you were interested."

"It isn't like that," Erica whispered in exasperation. "Now shut up before the professor hears you."

"He won't care," Kathy smiled.

"Why?"

"Remember everyone, test on Thursday!" the professor called. Already other students were spilling into the hall.

"See?"

"Hmmm," Erica replied, gathering her books.

"So was this guy?" Kathy said as they joined the crush of their classmates.

"I already told you it wasn't like what you're thinking."

"Then what is it like?"

"Oh stop it. I had to deal with enough crap about that today already."

As if the universe itself was intent on giving Erica a hard time, the unmistakable sound of the emergency signal issued from her backpack.

"Bet that's my advisor to tell me I'm late for a meeting. See you later, Kathy."

Erica pushed her way through the crowd and out of sight. A second after she'd disappeared out the door Kathy could've sworn there was a momentary flash of purple.

Dione gazed down at the blue waves lapping at the Cape Lombard harbor. Below them she could just make out two faint white glows.

"So we just wait, then," she said.

"Vayon had enough Fire to bring Truthcraft to life immediately, my alternative takes a little longer," Kamandetes admitted. "Just wait until they've finished charging, girl. Then you'll really see something."

A laser beam ricocheted off Kamandetes's armor. "Not if we have anything to say about it," StellarPink said as she took aim again, Blue, Black, Yellow and Red right behind her.

"Damn, they're here even faster than I expected," Kamandetes cursed and gripped his sword, but Dione held up a hand to stop him.

"Allow me," she said. Her shadow snaked out from behind her and solidified into a corpse-like mirror parody of Dione. "Dishadow, make yourself useful."

Her gray-skinned doppleganger bared her pointed teeth in a grin then streaked toward Stellarman. Before they'd even registered she was there she bowled over Black and Yellow with her claws then charged at Red, but he blocked her jab with his Clash Knuckle.

"Oh, I can't wait to see if your blood's the same color as your suit," she grinned.

"Still sore about the first time I kicked your tail?"

"You're not so tough without your frie--argh!" Dishadow shrieked as Blue and Pink sprang out and slashed their swords across her back.

"You're right, we're not, but maybe that's why we always come out ahead. Nice work, girls," Red said.

"No problem," Blue said proudly.

All at once Dishadow seemed to turn into a black whirlwind, slashing her way through the three of them and only reverting to normal once they'd hit the asphalt. "I've been saving my strength, humans."

"We've got some new tricks too," Blue said and readied Lacerta's card. She jumped to a nearby wall and scrambled along it up and down, trying to disorient Dishadow, then jumped. Dishadow knocked her out of the air but a second later went flying back from an unseen blow. Pink flickered back into visibility.

"Good one, Pink. Glad there's one girl on this team I can count on," Blue said.

"Don't mention it."

Dishadow bounced right back up though and leveled her hands at the two. A barrage of tiny black darts flew from her fingertips and stabbed into their uniforms. They fell to their knees from the dozens of points of pain and then Dishadow flew forward and clostheslined the girls.

"How are they doing?" Dione asked as she and Kamandetes watched the battle unfold from a safe distance.

"Any minute now," the black knight responded. "Looks like your sister is everything you're not, after all."

"And I'm perfectly happy keeping it that way, thank you," Dione said curtly. They were cut off by the sound of a powerful engine and a second later the Auto Swan zoomed into view. Its side-mounted cannons spewed blasts that peppered Dishadow but Red gestured furiously toward Kamandetes and Dione, and StellarRose sped past her previous target. Dione gasped and threw up a transparent shield in front of herself just before a hail of shells ripped into it. Kamandetes unsheathed his sword.

"Paradise Breaker!" he yelled with all the frustration of his battles with Stellarman echoing across the dock. The blade shimmered and extended, forming a massive snake with fangs bared. It darted for the Auto Swan, upending it, but StellarRose jumped from the driver's seat and came down with her Thorn clutched tightly in one hand.

"Thorn Fencer!" She jabbed and slashed with her thin sword, blocking counter-strikes from Kamandetes's heavier blade. Rose ducked as her enemy's blade sliced by her helmet, and with blinding speed she thrust her own sword into the black knight's arm.

She expected a cry of pain, but it didn't come.

Instead, there was a pop, then a hiss as a mass of sparking wires spilled from the hole Rose had punctured in his armor.

"What the hell are you?" Rose gasped.

"A good distraction," Dishadow sneered as she raked her claws across Rose's back. The violet warrior rolled with the impact and held tight to her weapon. She rolled to her feet, turned and threw it at Dishadow.

"Thorn Capture!" she yelled, her sword switching to a half-ring that clamped around Dishadow's waist. Rose pulled the chain running from the ring to her hands, sending violet Starlight racing up its links and coursing over Dishadow. She clenched her teeth, denying Rose the satisfaction of hearing her scream. Her form began to distort and tried to slip through the arcing bolts surrounding her in shadow form, but Rose only poured on the power.

"Give it up, unless you want your little friend to be fried."

"I don't think so," Kamandetes said, sounding entirely too confident for her liking.

"Don't push--" Rose began but suddenly two water spouts erupted behind the Proxordo commanders. Something smashed into Rose and sent her flying. She got upright as fast as she could, but by then Kamandetes and Dione weren't alone.

There were two new Truthcraft in front of the commanders, one towering and covered in boxy dark blue armor, the other slender and swathed in a light blue material matching her thick, flowing hair. The lighter one brought a hand to her lips and blew a mocking kiss as the rest of Stellarman gathered around Rose.

"Charybdis, Scylla," Kamandetes said and pointed at Stellarman. A furious Dishadow melted away and attached to Dione's feet just before the two of them vanished in puffs of Fire.

"What do you say we wash these pitiful humans away?" the bigger one said, grinning with dull gray teeth.

"It's about time someone did, Charybdis," the other sighed wistfully.

"You got your work cut out for you there," Yellow said and was about to insert his weapon card when Prox Charybdis's chest opened, revealing a hefty turbine.

"Tide Shocker!" It immediately started to spin, sucking in a stream of water from the bay that was released as a roaring vortex that swallowed up the six youths, tossing them around like rag dolls.

And then, flying through the center of the aquatic chaos came Prox Scylla. Her hair crackled with electricity that jumped into the churning waters, and then into Stellarman as they whirled helplessly about.

Pink clenched her teeth as the screams of her teammates filled her ears and the links of electricity stabbed into her body at a hundred points at once. Mustering all her strength she ignored her pain and shoved the card for her Arc Blader into the Battle Dealer on her wrist. The instant her weapon appeared she threw it with honed skill. A cord fastened to the giant boomerang's center wound around Black's waist, then Red's, then Yellow's, and finally Blue's. Rose came whirling past and Pink grabbed her by the arm.

StellarRose nodded quickly at Pink and threw her Thorn Capture. The half-ring snagged the corner of a nearby building. Pulling with all her might Rose dragged her teammates out of the electrified vortex created by the two monsters.

By the time the Truthcraft dispersed the vortex, Stellarman was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

"Give it to me straight, doc," Cliff sputtered. He and the others were lying in Sol Dome's infirmary, undergoing a few tests none of them felt were exactly necessary.

"Ha ha," Valentine said as she walked down the aisle between the occupied beds. "In spite the shocks you all received, you should be fine. As long as you take a while to recover before you take anymore. What happened to those monsters anyway? All the electricity knocked our cameras out."

"They jumped in the ocean after they couldn't find us," Daniel replied.

"That's probably even worse than having them in the city," Bohdi said.

"No kidding, with what they can do with water," Daniel added. "We need to get them away from the ocean…but if we try to go somewhere else they'll probably trash Cape Lombard while we're gone."

"Probably," Valentine said.

"Where's Thebes at a time like this?" Daniel asked.

"Working on a new project," said Valentine. "She thinks it'll get done faster if she supervises it personally."

"In a way, I guess that's good," Daniel said. "She probably trusts us to handle this without looking our shoulders. I mean, you did report this to her, right Val?"

"Of course I did."

"So we need to come up with a plan," Bohdi said and hopped down from his bed.

Suddenly Valentine ducked out of the infirmary and the door slammed shut. It didn't open when Bohdi approached.

"Valentine, what do you think you're doing?!" he yelled.

"Come up with a plan, but come up with it in there. You guys aren't going anywhere until you've recovered," she answered over a loudspeaker.

"I don't believe this," Cliff mumbled.

"It could be worse. After all, I'm stuck in a room with my favorite people," Aki said, making no attempt to hide the glare she shot at Erica.

"Something we should know about?" Daniel asked.

"Not your problem," Erica replied.

"Isn't it?" Aki said. "She thinks we shouldn't be going out."

Daniel gazed at Erica in bemusement. "Erica?"

She sighed. "I don't believe I'm having this conversation but yeah, Aki asked me for advice about on your relationship and I told her not to waste your time on something as dumb as that."

"A good leader should be in touch with his teammates, right?" Aki countered.

"Does he need to date them too?"

Cliff quirked an eyebrow. Bohdi lay back and pillowed his hands behind his head to wait it out as Erica as Aki's glares got angrier.

"What is your problem? We're a team, we help each other out."

"Yeah, we're a _team_, not a single's bar."

"You have got to be kidding me," Caitlin shook her head.

"Incredible," Dione said as they watched a replay of Prox Charybdis blasting Stellarman off their feet before Prox Scylla shot through and shot them with chain lightning.

"Wasn't it just?" Kamandetes said. "That was only phase one, though. Now that the Truthcraft are ready and shown they're every bit as powerful as I designed, it's time to see what they can really do."

"What do you mean?"

"Observe," the knight replied, tapping a key with his good arm. The image on his monitor switched to the murky green bottom of Cape Lombard harbor, but Dione spotted the pair of Truthcraft standing side by side, completely motionless.

"Now then, as they say, prepare to be amazed," Kamandetes said and struck another key. At once the Truthcraft erupted with white light. The view changed the ocean surface which was broken a second later as the Truthcraft appeared, enlarged to giant size.

"How did you--" Dione asked in surprise.

"Ah, you thought they needed to be dead before they could grow, I suppose. This is what determination and a little intelligence can produce, my lovely."

As Dione watched Prox Charybdis stomped closer to shore, sucking water into the turbine in his torso and tearing the top halves off two adjacent buildings. Prox Scylla drifted easily through the water, her hair crackling with electricity that arced into columns of cars as she passed.

"If you'll kindly return to the city now and keep them on task…" Kamandetes said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You wanted to be part of this operation, remember?" Kamandetes reminded her. "These two are a dangerous pair, but a…certain quirk developed that I wasn't sure I had the time to work out. Frankly, I was rather hoping it would rattle Stellarman.

"All you and Dishadow need to do is keep an eye on them. They'll listen to authority but that authority needs to be there in case they lose track of what they're meant to be doing."

"And you can't go because--"

"Right," Kamandetes cut her off, covering the exposed wires protruding from his arm. "Get going. The Truthcraft aren't going to wait for you, are they?" He gestured toward the monitor where the enormous warriors stormed through Cape Lombard.

"No, I don't think they will," Dione said and floated away.

"You're acting like kids," Caitlin said with unhidden disgust.

"Daniel, why did you agree to do this stupid thing with her in the first place?" Erica said, sounding irritated but less with the person she was asking than what she was asking about.

"I thought I was helping out a teammate," he replied. "I was hoping she'd get back to me with an answer about how long we needed to keep it up, though."

"Aki, don't take this the wrong way, but you're not much of a planner, are you?" asked Caitlin.

Aki scowled. "Now you're starting in on me too?"

"I'm just asking a question!" Caitlin snapped. "You haven't thought this through at all, have you?!"

"That's exactly what I've been saying this whole time," Erica chimed in.

Daniel sighed and glanced over at Cliff and Bohdi, who merely sat on their beds watching as the words exchanged by the girls got angrier. He got up and stepped between the three of them. "Knock it off already," he said, trying to sound as forceful yet as impartial as he could.

"Then tell Aki she's wasting your time and acting like a kid," Erica said.

"Tell _her_ we're a team and we stick together!" Aki shot back.

"How about _all_ of you cool it and remember we've got two monsters gunning for us that gave it to us good last time?" Daniel said. "If we really are a team how can we be fighting ourselves at a time like this?"

"You know," Cliff whispered to Bohdi, "the new kid's got balls for gettin' in the middle of all that…"

Bohdi just smiled a thin smile and nodded his head.

The girls went quiet. Aki looked up at Daniel plaintively, Erica uncertainly. Caitlin, he was surprised to notice, with what looked like relief.

All of a sudden klaxons blared up and down the hall and the door confining them rocketed open. "The Truthcraft are attacking downtown! Erica, deploy Rose Valkyrie immediately!" Valentine's voice ordered. "The rest of you, stand by in the Beta Units!"

Daniel looked at Erica and Aki uneasily, and Erica smiled as reassuringly as she could.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." She got up to leave.

"Hold it," Daniel cut her off. "Take Catie as your copilot. You might need the help with two monsters."

"Copilot?" Caitlin asked, shooting Erica a quizzical look.

"She'll tell you all about after you're there. Get going you guys," Daniel said.

"Yessir. Right away sir," Cliff replied with a salute. He and the others dashed out of the infirmary.

"Good luck," Daniel said to their backs.

The glow of her transformation had hardly faded before StellarPink landed in Equuleus's pilot seat. The hangar doors opened and she was the second one out into the sun after Cygnus.

"Erica? Maybe you better tell me what I'm supposed to be doing before we hit town," she said.

"Basically Rose Valkyrie's sensory systems can be assigned to a secondary pilot. You'll be keeping us covered," Rose replied.

Pink sighed. "I'm used to that by now…" As she spoke the robots entered the city streets and a spray of debris hit Equuleus. Prox Scylla drifted overhead, electricity shooting from her aquamarine mane to anything over two stories high. Another building erupted into a hail of glass and stone even as Cygnus dove in front of the monster.

"Star Cross!" Rose yelled. Pink felt her seat rising as Equuleus reconfigured itself. There was a moment of darkness then she was in a narrow room behind StellarRose, a small radar console swiveling into place between their seats. She didn't need it to see Prox Scylla bearing down on them.

Rose Valkyrie ducked under her and stabbed at her side with its lance, but Pink spotted a blip on her radar.

"Seven o'clock!" she yelled. Rose broke off the attack and maneuvered the robot in a roll to the side just before a whirlpool surged past. With surprising speed Prox Charybdis turned to where Rose Valkyrie was crouched, catching it in his whirlpool. Prox Scylla flew into the whirlpool, the energy bolts from her hair magnified by the churning water and surrounding Rose Valkyrie like an electric net. Rose and Pink screamed as the energy flowed into the cockpit and wracked their bodies as well.

"Turn up the juice, darling. Let them taste some _real_ pain," Prox Charybdis grinned.

"It's your whirlpool that makes it all possible," Prox Scylla replied and blew a kiss to the other monster. The electricity around Rose Valkyrie flickered.

"Stay focused, you two!" Dione yelled as she levitated a safe distance away. "Your effort's slipping!"

"Now!" Rose and Pink heard Daniel yell. All of a sudden Ursa jumped from out from behind a building and barreled into Prox Charybdis's midsection like a cannonball. The whirlpool dispersed, but before Prox Charybdis recovered a streak of light shot down and sliced into his leg. It was Monoceros, its bladed horn glistening. Corvus appeared from behind a cloud and circled around and around Prox Scylla, dodging her electricity. While the female monster was distracted Rose Valkyrie rushed in and slashed her across the stomach with its lance.

"Grab the big one!" Daniel instructed. "Get him as far away from the water as you can!"

Blue called. Corvus seized Prox Charybdis by the shoulders and lifted the struggling monster off the ground. Beating its giant wings Corvus carried him further inland, away from the ocean his ultimate attack required. Prox Charybdis struggled in the robot bird's gripped, then grinned.

Suddenly Prox Charybdis's right fist detached, leaving a gleaming harpoon protruding in its place. It shot up, cleaving halfway through Corvus's wing.

Before Corvus could even touch the ground Prox Charybdis grabbed the robot bird and threw it with all his might. It spun crazily through the air before landing in the ocean with a terrific splash.

"Aki!" Daniel yelled helplessly as he and Valentine watched the battle unfold back at Sol Dome. Valentine gripped his shoulder.

For a second, time seemed to freeze as Stellarman watched their teammate vanish into the bay. That was all the time Prox Scylla needed to coil her hair around Rose Valkyrie's neck and shoulders. Electricity surged into the robot, and Rose and Pink at the controls.

Prox Charybdis grinned and advanced to help her deal with Stellarman's robot, but Dione flew in front of his face. "Finish off the opponents you already have!" she rebuked Prox Charybdis. "You're leaving yourself open!"

Indeed he was. Ursa jumped onto his back, tearing and clawing. Monoceros attack from the front and impaled Prox Charybdis on its horn.

As they fought Prox Scylla dragged Rose Valkyrie up to its knee into the water. Feebly the robot raised its lance and stabbed backward at Prox Scylla, but a trident formed in her hand and smacked the lance away.

Then with a final, horrible heave Prox Scylla dragged the helpless robot beneath the waves.

A small nimbus of electricity on the bay's surface was the only thing to mark the fact that they'd been there. A second later it was gone too.

Raging Starlight, somewhere out on the east side.

By the amounts he could feel, they had probably rolled out the robots. The weird white and purple one the new girl had. The female robot.

All of a sudden the sensation died away. Had Stellarman beaten whatever warranted the robot? Or…was the opposite true?

Kyle distractedly prodded at the dirt in the empty lot where he was camping out with a stick. The Ptolemic Machines…that had all happened after he'd left. He wondered what it was like to control one, if he'd enjoy having that kind of power if he'd had it. Red Starlight raced down the stick, incinerating it.

Maybe if he hurried he could intercept them, hijack the robot. If he caught them by surprise he could probably be away before they could even come up with an effective response. Then again…they had surprised him last time, the dull ache in his side serving as an all-too-clear reminder. It wasn't as if he wanted the purple robot anyway.

Kyle stood up and dashed to the other side of the lot just before a fiery bolt turned the spot where he'd been sitting into a smoking crater. Another screamed toward him but this time Kyle was ready. He formed a shield in front of him, catching the bolt. He felt the heat but his attention was focused on what was on the other end of the flaming pillar beating uselessly down on him.

It was gushing from the end of a golden staff, held by someone in ornate golden armor as they floated down from the sky. It took Kyle a second to recognize him as that weirdo leading whoever it was Stellarman was fighting.

As soon as his armored boots touched the ground the onslaught stopped, but Kyle just launched himself at his attacker. He poured all of his Starlight into a roundhouse punch that clanged against the armored man's chest. He staggered back a few steps and Kyle charged in to press his advantage.

Another punch connected, then another. He was about to seize his attacker by the throat when a fireball jumped from a gauntleted hand. Kyle threw up a shield in front of himself but was still blasted through the decaying chainlink fence surrounding the lot. When he looked up the man had his staff pointed at Kyle's throat.

"Interesting potential," he said as if recording lab notes. "Yes, this one will fill an interesting niche in Proxordo…"


	19. Phase 19: Deep Blue

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 19: Deep Blue

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

Rose Valkyrie twisted feebly, but wracked with electricity it couldn't possibly break free of Prox Scylla's binding hair. With a gigantic splash, the monster pulled the Ptolemic Titan underwater.

"Looks like it's my turn," Prox Charybdis said and the turbine in his chest started to turn.

"Guys--" Daniel began to say, but Yellow cut him off.

"We're going, we're going!" he said. Ursa and Monoceros, the only Ptolemic Machines still on the battlefield, ran off in opposite directions, escaping the radius of the monster's whirlpool just as it came ripping through the street where they'd been.

"See you back at the dome, then," Daniel sighed. He watched as Prox Charybdis angrily looked back and forth for his enemies, then angrily speared a building when he was unable to spot them.

"Are you sure about having them pull back?" Valentine asked.

"What else can we do? The Ptolemic Machines don't work underwater, and there's no way Cliff and Bohdi have the firepower to bring the big guy down. We need a plan."

"We need a miracle," Valentine replied.

Daniel wasn't even surprised to hear her saying things like that anymore

* * *

StellarRose draped her head backwards and did the thing she hated doing most in the world: she screamed. Even through the pain she could see through the view screen that they'd been dragged underwater. Half a dozen desperate plans flashed through her mind but were silenced by the pain from Prox Scylla's endless bombardment.

Feeling a mixture of fear and relief, Rose blacked out. Pink had already crumpled over the radar console.

The energy flowing from Prox Scylla's hair had ceased. Even if it hadn't finished off Rose Valkyrie's pilot, it had done more than enough damage to knock out the robot itself. And that, she reminded herself, was the important thing.

She started towing Rose Valkyrie through the water, casting her gaze slowly back and forth for the other robot, the bird. What a haul today had been for them, she thought with no small amount of amusement.

After a few seconds Prox Scylla spotted a few metallic feathers resting on the ocean floor, and a short distance beyond them lay Corvus, a gaping break in the framework of one wing from her husband's harpoon. She was reaching down to collect the fallen mech when something shot by, gouging her shoulder as it went past.

Prox Scylla angrily whirled around to see what had attacked her and was more than a little surprised to see the shape of a dolphin, one some forty feet from nose to tail, turning around and coming back at her. She stretched her flowing locks, crackling with electricity again to meet the charge, but the dolphin scythed through the hair with a fin, then leaned and cut through the hair holding Rose Valkyrie with another.

The monster gasped in surprise, but the dolphin didn't press its attack. As it swam past again a swarm of long cords shot from its back, one attaching to Rose Valkyrie's back, one onto Corvus and the last to the severed wing. Then picking up speed the dolphin swam away from Prox Scylla.

She follow after the dolphin and its cargo, but kept a safe distance to see where they were going. After a few minutes a shaft of light emerged from between two rocky peaks. The dolphin shape swam into it, and after it and the damaged robots it towed vanished the light vanished with it.

* * *

"You're assuming a lot, tin head," Kyle said even with Vayon's staff pressed to his throat.

"Am I?" Vayon replied and extended his hand. Cautiously, Kyle took it and the armored overlord helped him up. "I don't know what you might've heard about me, but I don't take unwilling recruits."

"I don't watch the news much," Kyle said and dusted himself off, not taking his eyes off Vayon.

"Then allow me to introduce myself. Amro Vayon, working to start a new age. A pure age. And if I may say so, you seem like someone in search of a purpose."

"Don't act like you know me," Kyle said.

"I have a gift for reading people. It's a benefit in my profession. And I think we might be able to help each other out."

Kyle quirked an eyebrow suspiciously. "How's that?"

"You seem to possess a certain…gift. Not unlike that possessed by Cosmic Squadron Stellarman. They've been constantly upsetting my efforts."

"What if I don't care about your little dream?" Kyle said but Vayon held up his hand.

"Normally I ask that those who join my service pledge themselves to my ideals, but I believe I can make an exception in your case. I can provide the means to enhance your abilities, make you more than a match for any Stellarman. Together we can finally remove their interference.

"All I ask is that once my goals have been attained, you do not use the gifts you've been given to harm my followers or the society we will create."

"You're not even gonna tell me all about your great vision? You didn't give much away."

"Do you honestly care?" Vayon countered.

"No, not really," Kyle admitted, already slowly charging his energy in case he needed them against this nutjob. "But…you make a tempting offer."

"So I've been told," Vayon said proudly.

Kyle hoped Vayon didn't notice his bemused expression through that visor.

* * *

The first thing Erica noticed was an absence.

The absence of electric agony she could feel down to the marrow of her bones. Someone's icy hand cupped her cheek.

"Erica, are you all right?"

"Mom?" she asked. She pried her eyes open and hovering above her was indeed the face of Commander Maria Craice Thebes. For a second there was a look of relief, then it faded.

"Come on, we've got a counterattack to get ready."

"Counterattack?" Erica repeated groggily, half-expecting she was in heaven or wherever people like her went. Instead she was sitting at Rose Valkyrie's controls, and behind her, just coming around herself, was Caitlin. "Where the hell are we? Come to think of it, where were you while those two monsters were ganging up on us?"

"Overseeing the last few touches on a new weapon," Commander Thebes said. "The techs work faster if they know any screw-ups can automatically go on their record. Come on out you two, they need to check out the Ptolemic Machines now and the sooner the better." A technician scrambled into the cockpit as soon as they were out and started up Rose Valkyrie's diagnostic program.

The girls found themselves in a cavernous room that had a large concrete pier. It looked an awful lot like the kind of place James Bond villains kept their submarines. Rose Valkyrie was in one berth on the pier, up to its neck in water. In the next berth over, peeking out above the water was the tip of a turquoise-colored fin.

As soon as they'd exited the robot a pair of chains ending in large hooks lowered from the ceiling and hauled Rose Valkyrie out of the water. Against the wall more chains were lowered into the water, pulling out Corvus and its shorn wing. A hatch in the bird robot's head was pried open and Aki, her powers also having quit, was hoisted out by technicians.

"Nice to see you two are in one piece," she said with a glare in Erica's direction.

"Shut it," Caitlin said sharply. Aki shifted her glare over to Caitlin, but obeyed.

"Where are we, Commander?" Erica asked, trying to ignore Aki's eyes.

"We're in a hidden base out in the bay. I don't think it's going to be here too much longer, though."

"Why?"

"Because the monster probably tailed us."

A tremor shook the building.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?!" Dione Barked as Prox Charybdis marched toward the ocean.

"Something's wrong. Scylla needs me," the titanic monster said and waded into the depths of Cape Lombard bay, heedless of Dione's protests. Within seconds he had vanished below the water. Sighing in resignation, Dione shaped a golden bubble around her body and dove into the water herself.

A look of grave concern on his face, Prox Charybdis activated his turbine and blasted through the water. Dione could only wonder what the waves were like on the surface as she flew after him. Soon Prox Scylla came into view, her hair crackling furiously, matching the arched eyebrows and clenched teeth. Every few seconds a spear of electricity dug into the ground, sending vibrations through the water. It was all Dione could do to keep her bubble where it was.

"And where is Stellarman?" Dione asked.

"I had that robot, but then…something showed up and hauled it away. I followed and saw them disappear into the trench. I can't get through at this size, though," Prox Scylla replied.

"Then let's blast them out!" Prox Charybdis grinned. His turbine roared to life and he aimed the whirlpool at the space between the two peaks.

Prox Scylla clapped and laughed in admiration of her husband's handiwork. "Let me join in, darling!" Prox Charybdis grinned as she dove into the roaring whirlpool. Her electric hair danced and charged the whirlpool with the deadly touch of her power.

* * *

Inside the base the floor rocked and the lights dimmed. Erica dashed to Rose Valkyrie's foot. "How bad is it??" she yelled.

"A lot better than we expected, Miss Thebes! As soon as we restart the system she'll be almost as good as new!"

Erica didn't hide the sigh of relief, but no one heard it anyway as the base rocked again.

"What about Corvus?" Aki asked. Technicians were spraying a clear gummy substance onto the jagged edge of its wing and the portion that had been ripped off. Once they were done they shifted their attention to guiding the two pieces of the wing back together.

"That should last until we can do a proper patch job back at Sol Dome," a tech said.

"As long as you don't push it too hard, that is," Commander Thebes added, shooting Aki a sidelong glance.

The base shook but as the lights flickered Rose Valkyrie's eyes lit up again. Despite the situation all the tension in Erica's system seemed to drip out through her feet. Ever since she was a little girl and she'd started training to be StellarRose, Rose Valkyrie had always been there at the edge of her mind. The ultimate extension of her power. The symbol she was constantly striving for.

Once she had mastered the Ptolemic Titan, Commander Thebes had told her, she'd be ready.

Commander Thebes. Not "mom," Commander Thebes.

Was their relationship really that bad?

"Caitlin, I've got something for you," the Commander said, handing her a card and pointing to the curved fin peeking out of the water behind them. "That's what the project created, a new Beta Unit. Use it to keep the monster busy until we're ready to evacuate. Can you do that?"

"Anything you say, Commander," Caitlin said. "Cosmic Evolution!"

Pink fibers swathed Caitlin's body and she dove into the berth with the curved fin. It hummed above the roar of another tremor that shook pieces loose form the ceiling, then sank into the dark waters. Aki shook her head.

"What's bugging you?" Erica asked.

"Just amazed. With all the crap Catie puts up with, I keep expecting her to blow holes in us all with her Switch Magnum, kid."

"She seems pretty stable to me," Erica replied. Aki shook her head again, smirking a little.

"What?" Erica asked.

"She lives with Cliff. Do you seriously think she isn't getting all kinds of ulcer treatments with having to hear about all our problems too? Not that she's not still uptight, cuz she is."

"Caitlin's Starlight threshold is nothing special," Commander Thebes said, casually stepping out of the way of a piece of the ceiling. "She's probably got more guts than the rest of this team put together, though. She's never given up on anything in her life."

Erica looked at the edge of the underwater pier as a dark shape below the water flitted out of sight. All her power, all her training, and what did she really know about the people she called her teammates?

The people she'd wanted so desperately to join ever since Stellarman went active.

The base's bay doors opened just enough for StellarPink's new craft to speed through then shut behind her with all available haste. Delphinus, that was what it was called, the word forming in her mind even as the image of a dolphin appeared on the card Commander Thebes had given her.

A delicious quiet settled over the cockpit. Although the hulking shapes of Prox Scylla and Charybdis filled her viewscreen, she felt alone. Wonderfully alone. Prox Charybdis turned his whirlpool on her but with a wild laugh Pink twisted the wheel and Delphinus shot right through the cone of churning water only losing a little speed as it did.

Two enormous monsters were intent on tearing her limb from limb, but all she could think about was no one wanted to confide in her or ask her for support. The two back there did seem to be among the least likely, for what that was worth. Erica was a good fighter, confident about everything she did, but her confidence seemed to come from a feeling of superiority. Maybe Erica was entitled to it; after all, she was more powerful than the rest of them, and she'd been training to fight probably since before they even knew they had powers.

Prox Scylla's electricity leaped from her dancing hair and formed a glowing spider web. Pink clutched the controls apprehensively but instinct seemed to take over as her robo-dolphin twirled and weaved through the bolts without a single crackle reaching Pink's ears.

Aki…Aki was so loud and bombastic, always going ahead with whatever crazy plan entered her brain. In a way, Pink envied having so few inhibitions. The argument between Erica and Aki was one of the only times she'd ever seen her blue-clad teammate upset about anything. Was she really interested in Daniel? Could that be it? Pink shook her head. She was enjoying the solitude, she could worry about answering those questions when she got back. If they wanted her to weigh in at all. If she wanted to weigh in at all.

Prox Charybdis turned his turbine higher than he had any of the times he'd used it, sucking in Delphinus suddenly. Pink pulled and prodded at the wheel but her robo-dolphin kept spinning helplessly in the watery vortex. Prox Scylla hovered above the whirlpool and fill it with her electricity. Her voltage engulfed Delphinus, power coursing into Pink's body.

But she still heard nothing. Felt nothing. She was finally alone. This couldn't get to her. "Bacchus Missile," she said, hitting a button on the console. From Delphinus's sides shot a pair of heavy missiles. They exploded against the sides of Prox Charybdis's turbine, not putting it out of commission but surprising him enough that the turbine slowed. Pink urged her robot upward with all the speed it could manage. Which was a lot.

Delphinus's jets, two on the back one behind either dorsal fin, fired, blasting it out of the whirlpool. Pink steered straight at Prox Scylla, butting her in the stomach and knocking her against a hefty rock. Prox Charybdis aimed and fired his harpoon at Delphinus but the dolphin nipped out of its path. Then it swam around and around the harpoon in a spiral as if mocking the monster that fired it.

The harpoon thudded into the ground and Delphinus veered up. Prox Charybdis was about to unleash his whirlpool again when the water trembled, throwing him and Prox Scylla off balance. A submarine, with Corvus clamped to the nose, pushed its way out of the ground. The space the base had occupied collapsed, sending a cloud of dirt and silt erupting upwards. As the submarine sped to the surface, Rose Valkyrie strode out of the haze.

"Is everyone on the sub?" Pink asked.

"They sure are. Let's do it," StellarRose called back.

"Beta Cross!" Pink obliged. The larger propulsion jets on Delphinus's back detached, then clamped on Rose Valkyrie's back. The smaller jets on the dorsal fins attached to the robot's forearms. Its head settled onto one shoulder, and from behind Delphinus's head emerged a finned helmet that locked into place on Rose Valkyrie.

Prox Charybdis started to prepare another whirlpool, but Rose Valkyrie lifted an arm and fired off a water stream of its own from the turbine mounted on its arm. Prox Charybdis was buffeted backward. Prox Scylla surged toward the robot to help her husband, and Rose Valkyrie slashed her across the face with a sharpened fin.

"You! While they're distracted! Go after the submarine!" Dione ordered Prox Charybdis.

"But--" he started to protest, watching Prox Scylla take a series of scything blows as her electricity struck again and again while barely slowing the robot down at all.

"Their leader must be aboard that submarine. We can strike a blow if we destroy it, Charybdis," Dione said, her usual serene demeanor taking over. Prox Charybdis looked helplessly from Dione to the fleeing sub, his wife as she was pushed back again and again from the robot's slashes, then back to the sub.

Then he took off with a roar after the submarine. He closed in on the smaller craft. The water was his home, and despite his bulk he knifed through the water. The sub poured on the speed as they climbed higher and higher toward the surface. He aimed and fired a harpoon, clipping its side, but the submarine continued its step ascent even as it shipped water. As it broke the surface Corvus spread its wings. It took to the air, hauling the submarine with it.

By the time Prox Charybdis reached the surface Corvus was setting the submarine down several streets back from the bay. Prox Charybdis cursed at missing his chance, but before he could pursue Corvus returned, diving at his head and stabbing with its beak.

"Daniel, I think you'd better see this!" Valentine said, her electronic voice heavy with excitement.

Daniel looked up to the main monitor and saw Corvus, banged up but intact, pecking angrily at the head of Prox Charybdis. Immediately he threw the switch to open communications.

"Blue, what's going on??"

"Don't worry kid, we got everything under control," she said as nonchalantly as ever.

Prox Scylla ducked and weaved to avoid Rose Valkyrie's blows. Suddenly she crouched then swam the surface. "Oh no you don't, you worthless piece of crap," Rose growled. Her robot jetted nimbly after the fleeing monster. As she was about to hit the surface Prox Charybdis submerged again, a bird-shaped shadow passing over him.

"I'll keep 'em from getting up here!" Blue reported. "Take care of things down there!"

"No problem," Rose said as if she and Blue had never argued about anything. Was she so sure of her side of the argument, Pink wondered, or if she was enough of a pro to put her squabbles aside until the time came. What was the story with the Commander daughter?

Right then Prox Charybdis turned toward them and within seconds his turbine was humming and aimed straight at Rose Valkyrie. Even before it had reached them Prox Scylla was in front of him, charging the whirlpool with her fearsome voltage. A vicious grin covered her lip. The whirlpool engulfed the robot but Pink kicked in the jets on back and arms and stabilized Rose Valkyrie. The bolts struck repeatedly but it held firm with Delphinus's power added to its own.

"You ready?" Rose asked, ignoring the sparks jumping from her console.

"Let's do it," Pink said, smiling inside her helmet. "Aqua Dance…"

The robot thrummed with power then shot at the monsters like a missile, propelling itself with the jets on its back and arms. It shimmered blue as it raced up the whirlpool and plowed into Prox Scylla. Rose Valkyrie jetted upward and sliced into Prox Scylla with a glowing fin, then turned and shot back down, slicing her again. Finally the robot trained both arms on Prox Scylla, streams of water shooting from the jets on its wrists. She dissolved from the onslaught, her mouth open in a silent scream.

Prox Charybdis sputtered with rage and was already taking aim with a harpoon. Rose Valkyrie rammed into him with last of its amassed energy, carrying the two of them out of the water.

"Beta Break," Rose said suddenly.

"What??" Pink asked, but her chair was already sinking out of the cockpit. Delphinus disengaged from Rose Valkyrie and plunged nimbly back into the water.

"Sorry Pink, but I'd kind of like to share this with someone else," Rose said. "Star Cross!"

Corvus separated into pieces then clamped onto Rose Valkyrie. Its wings went to the robot's back, its talons found a home on its forearms. The helmet glowed as it settled into place. To complete the fusion StellarBlue rose into view in the copilot's seat.

"Catie's not gonna be happy you dumped her like that," she said but didn't sound like she was worried.

"If she's anywhere near as awesome as you say, she'll deal with it."

Prox Charybdis struggled uselessly as they climbed higher and higher. He aimed a harpoon but Rose Valkyrie swung with its claws and sent the arm plummeting toward the ocean. Then, the robot dropped him after it.

"Scavenger Strike!" Rose and Blue cried out at the same time. Rose Valkyrie went into a dive. Its mended wing strained, but held. Its talons glowing Rose Valkyrie ripped through Prox Charybdis. An orange burst at the edges of the view screen marked the monster's demise.

* * *

Erica needed to unlock the side door to Robinson Hall by the time she made it back to campus. She pulled the door open, but tensed suddenly and realized she wasn't alone. She whipped around to find herself face to face with Aki.

"You're here again, huh?"

"Catie said you wanted to team up with me to kill the other monster."

"Yeah, I guess I kinda did."

"Even after what we said this morning?"

"Don't get me wrong, I still think you're wasting Daniel's time with this dating crap of yours," Erica said.

"But you don't think I'm all bad."

"I don't really think anything. I hardly know anything about you guys. You don't know anything about me. We only see each other for superhero stuff, so I decided to assume you had your reasons for asking Daniel out."

"Bohdi said you seemed really nice."

Erica chuckled. "From what? That time I talked him out of his blues? That was just basic psychology. Thank Commander Thebes for that too."

"Wow," was all Aki said.

"Wow what?"

"I just realized I really don't know you either."

Erica shook her head. "That's what I said. But what are you and Daniel gonna do about your little act?"

"I think I'll keep it up a little longer. If he's okay with it. It's true what I told him, I don't meet many decent guys."

"Maybe you should look a little harder," Erica suggested.

"Maybe you should look at all," Aki smirked.

"Maybe," Erica said. "Maybe I should start with a few people I can relate to."

* * *

Kamandetes hurled his sword across his spartan quarters hard enough to lodge the blade in the wall and let out a cry of frustration the Risen at the bottom of the tower could hear. Dione had wisely delivered her report of the attack's outcome over a private communication. The monitor in his wall had paid the price for it.

"All that Veritium, all the work of creating two complementary Truthcraft…and those damned _children_ just come back with another of their surprises!…What the in the name of the Fire is Master Vayon going to say when he comes back and sees all this…"

Suddenly he felt a searing pain at the back of his brain and staggered to the window. He knew that feeling. It meant an act of immense power was taking place nearby, and it could only be happening via the Fire of Truth.

And the only one with _that_ much was…

"Faithful, I have returned!" Amro Vayon's voice seemed to explode across the city's main plaza that Kamandetes's chamber overlooked, and already his massive image was appearing atop its usual pedestal. The plaza was empty at that time of night, but lights were coming on in the buildings all around it and Risen sticking their heads out windows to see if it was really true.

"I've spent my time away in contemplation, searching for a solution to the obstacles that continually thwart our mission to retake this beleaguered world! And, my children, I have found it! Higher mysteries of the Fire of Truth have been unlocked by meditations! I am prepared to begin a new campaign against decay!"

In front of Vayon's image appeared another one that for a second caused Kamandetes to wheel back in shock. It appeared to be StellarRed for a second, but the white gloves and boots were black, and over his chest was black armor covered in fiery designs.

"Welcome Proxordo's new general!"


	20. Phase 20: Conflagration

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 20: Conflagration

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Silence hung heavy in the air in the audience chamber Vayon used to conduct meetings with his officers. Kamandetes leaned on his sword for support, wanting it ready in case their new recruit wasn't everything his leader had promised. Of course he had every faith in Vayon's judgment, but his endeavors to carry on in their leader's absence had shown him he couldn't have that same faith in the other officers.

Dione floated a few inches off the ground as always, waiting patiently to see her Vayon again. The knight sensed an anxiety about her though, the way she kept wringing her hands and running her fingers through her hair, as if she was awaiting judgment rather than the reappearance of her beloved leader. Beloved, indeed, Kamandetes thought. Not for the first time did he wonder if she was there to build a new order or the ability to say she was in a couple with the most powerful man on the planet.

Beyond her was Haikoga, casting his beady eyes back and forth every few seconds and huffing angrily like a caged animal. Living proof of the knight's unease around his own.

They didn't have long to wait. Out of a billowing wall of Fire emerged Vayon, resplendent as always in his golden armor. For the moment, he was alone. "Ah, commanders of the faithful, it is good to see you all again. I trust you've all been staying sharp while I was away."

"Of course," Dione said with a syrupy sweet smile. To Kamandetes there was a nervous glint in her eyes. It looked like she was hoping he wouldn't press for details.

"I can prove I have," Kamandetes said proudly.

"And how is that, loyal Kamandetes?" Vayon asked, calm and eager to hear the answer.

"Wait until you see the advancements I've made on the Truthcraft, Master Vayon. I discovered ways to animate them on my own and revive them as giants. Coming up with the technology wasn't easy, but--"

The words died in Kamandetes's throat at the reaction his claim got from Vayon. The ruler of Proxordo froze, then the next thing he knew a blast of Fire jumped from the end of Vayon's staff and hurled him across the room. Before he even touched the ground Vayon had appeared in front of him and lifted Kamandetes into the air by the throat.

"You created Truthcraft with the amount of Fire you were given?! Impossible!!" Vayon roared. "Only I can channel enough Fire to do that! What kind of audacity compelled you to create Truthcraft on your own?!!"

"I thought…you were testing us when you went away…," Kamandetes croaked. Dione and Haikoga looked on in shocked surprise, but made no effort to intervene. Part of Kamandetes didn't blame them. "I thought you wanted us to carry on the fight with Stellarman…"

Vayon dropped him heavily, but relaxed his stance. "I see…," he said slowly. "I've never had cause to doubt your loyalty, Kamandetes, so I'll take you at your word. But never forget this: the Fire is a gift _I_ have given you all. If I don't impart the power to do more, then I expect you and those beneath you to accept that I have reasons enough for doing so."

"We'll be needing you soon," Dione spoke up. "The battles while you were away used up most of our Veritium, and I don't see how we can create Truthcraft powerful to threaten Stellarman without it anymore." She was surprised to see a smile form below his visor.

"We've depended on machines animated by the Fire for too long, my dear. In the days ahead, many changes will take place."

"Like the new general you mentioned before?" Dione probed.

"Absolutely," Vayon replied.

"Where is he, if I may be so bold?"

"He'll be around," Vayon said with a cryptic smile.

* * *

Cliff looked around the meeting room in bemusement. The oak paneling on the walls was a nice touch, and he looked up at the dome covering the lights and wondered idly if that was real quartz or not. Daniel's uncle was probably the most highly-paid lawyer in Cape Lombard if he could afford an office like this. It didn't explain why Daniel had called them there for a secret powwow, though.

"You gonna tell us what we're doing here or do we have to guess?" he asked.

"Doesn't anyone else think all this secrecy about the mecha's getting a little annoying?" Daniel put the question to his five teammates seated around the table. "First Thebes just knew where the Ptolemic Machines were buried and how to fix them, then she just knew where the Beta Untis were, then the other day we find out she had another one being built and none of us knew about it."

"I knew about mine," Erica offered. "Since I was a kid."

"We know, Erica," said Bohdi. As usual he was shielded by his holographic disguise. "I have to agree Daniel has a point, though. Erica's secrecy I understand. On the other hand, two sets of robots were just sitting around waiting for the Commander to decide to tell us about them. If Erica's known about her Ptolemic Machines as long as she claims she has, then it follows the Commander probably has some idea of where the others came from, being as she knew where to send us to look for them."

"Hey, what do you mean _if Erica's known about her machines as long as she claims_, huh?"

"Just…a poor choice of words," Bohdi replied, taken aback.

"Is this really such a big deal?" Caitlin interrupted. "I mean, she is our superior. There are lots of things they don't just tell the people underneath them."

"Maybe, Catie," Daniel said. "But I signed up for this team because I got told I'd learn things here instead of getting dissected like a frog, and I still feel like I'm getting jerked around. If Thebes trusts us enough to have stuff like the Ptolemic Machines, why doesn't she trust us enough to tell us what all she knows about them? Maybe we could use that info to find more, or use them better, or maybe even find StellarSavage. No offense Erica, but I doubt I'm the only one who wishes we had two robots."

"It's not like we've asked for more information--" Caitlin started to say.

"Maybe you haven't, kid," Aki cut her off. "I tried asking Thebes how she knew about the robots being there, and she just fed me some crap like, 'Worry about Proxordo, don't worry about the Ptolemic Machines.' Even Valentine wouldn't open to me, said she didn't know anything to report."

"She didn't tell me anything either," Erica chipped in. "And believe me, I asked."

"No one can deny Proxordo has been getting more dangerous of late," Bohdi said. "It'd be easier to focus on them if we weren't wondering about our own side."

Cliff looked back and forth, and was a little startled nobody was staring at him. "Not to mention Kyle's gunning for the new kid," he added just to have something to say.

An annoyed growl came from Daniel. "Good point, Cliff."

"Let me worry about him," Erica said.

"Erica, you can't--" Daniel began but she stood up and smashed a fist on the table, almost cracking it.

"Don't tell me what I can't do, Daniel. I know you're the leader but I've been prepping for this years. Kyle completely smoked you last time, remember? But I can handle him." she said with a frustrated hiss underscoring her words. "Let me worry about Kyle." She marched out of the meeting room as quickly as she could.

"What was _that_?" Cliff asked after the door had slammed behind her.

"I don't know, kid," Aki replied with a sigh. "I thought we were finally connecting with her."

"It wasn't you she just blew up at, was it?" Bohdi said, fixing his sunglasses-covered gaze on Daniel.

"Me? What'd I do?" Daniel sighed, shook his head and stood up. "Whatever. Look, guys, if anything comes up, I want to be the first to know, understand?"

"Of course," Bohdi said quietly, evenly.

"Whatever you say, boss," Aki affirmed.

"Yeah," Cliff added, actually sounding oddly amenable.

"Hey Cliff?" Daniel asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"You still want a shot at me?"

* * *

"I can't figure anybody on this team out anymore," Cliff mumbled.

"Don't try and tell me it's any worse than when we got started," Daniel said as they walked along to where they'd arranged a pick-up to take them back to Sol Dome for some sparring. The girls had decided to go off on their own. "Everybody was responsive and at least sounded like they were taking it seriously."

"Erica might have been taking this a little too seriously, if I might say so," Bohdi said quietly. "True she's had more training than the rest of us, but she should still be listening to our leader. I don't remember hearing that she outranks any of the rest of us."

Daniel clenched his fists. "Honestly? She might have a point. Kyle _did_ kick my ass before. He didn't even have a power suit, and I still couldn't beat him."

Cliff clapped him on the shoulder. "So let's get back to the Dome and I'll teach you some real moves."

"You're not fooling anyone, you know," Bohdi said.

"What?"

"You're afraid of Kyle too."

"Don't project onto me, thanks," Cliff grunted. All at once he looked up, and the three of them could just make out a dark blur disappearing over the edge of a rooftop. The sound of smug chortling reached their ears over the din of the city.

"Damn it," Cliff muttered.

"He's here," Bohdi whispered.

"Don't make it sound so hard. There's so much Starlight down there I could see you all the way across town."

From between a pair of buildings stepped Kyle, a supremely confident smirk curling up one side of his face. He wore a long dark coat that seemed to flow around him as he approached. The trio went into fighting stances. Kyle clutched at his heart.

"What's the matter, not happy to see me? We used to be such good buddies."

"You're insane, Kyle," Cliff shot back.

"Don't lie to yourself, Cliff. You always respected me for my strength, if nothing else."

"Maybe I did," Cliff said, then shot a sidelong glance at Daniel. "But that doesn't change the fact that you're insane."

Kyle let out an artificial sigh. "I suppose there's no point in even trying with you, Bohdi. What about you, Red? How's my old suit been working for you?"

"You want it back, I'm guessing," Daniel hazarded. Kyle just grinned.

"Nope. I got a better one now." He pulled back his sleeve revealing a wedge-shaped device on his wrist, the top half black and the lower half a dull gold. He flipped up the black portion and exposed a numeric keypad. He stabbed at the buttons, 2-8-7-6. "Burn UP!"

Sheets of flame erupted around Kyle then as quickly as they'd appeared the flames engulfed him, forming a glistening shell around him. A second later it disintegrated leaving him in a blood-red mockery of a Stellarman uniform. The gloves, boots and heavy armored collar covering the upper half of his chest were black as night. The flame design of his visor didn't escape their notice either.

"Consuming all opposition, StellarBurn," Kyle said, sounding almost indifferent.

"Cosmic Evolution!" three voices rang out. Red, yellow and black erupted from their rings. Red was already loading a the Lupus card into this Battle Dealer but a half-second later he was flying through the air, his chest burning. StellarBurn was standing between the pair of them where Red had been a second before, his fist extended and still showing a wisp of fiery power on his knuckles.

Black and Yellow swung their swords at Burn, but he jumped and dialed on his wrist gadget again. 9-4-3-3-5

"Wheel of Helios," Burn said then slammed a fist into the sidewalk as he came down. A ring of fiery energy swept outward from his body and knocked them flying in opposite directions. They each bounced off buildings and looked up in time to two walls of gunmetal gray Risen closing in on them, torches held high. One, clad in a dull bronze armor, jabbed at Yellow's face, only to gasp in surprise as Yellow's Grav-Hammer materialized in time for him to parry the attack with the haft.

"Let's dance."

Red gurgled and clutched at his side. It felt like he'd crashed through a streetlight or something before hitting the pavement. He didn't let the pain distract him, however, and jammed the wolf card into his Battle Dealer a split second before Burn grabbed him by the throat.

"You know, they tell me my old friends weren't a threat until you came along. Imagine what things would be like if I still had that suit."

A series of sharp kicks to the side were Red's answer. He doubt he'd done much damage, but it was enough to weaken the chokehold Burn had around his neck. "Great Fang Chop!" Red yelled, aiming his attack at Burn's neck. To his horror, Burn reached out casually and grabbed Red's arm with his free hand.

"Not much of a talker, are you?" Burn slammed him hard into the pavement. "Why did you do it, Red? What did Thebes promise you to get you to put on that ring?"

"What did she promise _you_?" Red fired back from where he lay as he tried to catch his breath.

"To get me out of jail. See, I'd been a bad boy before she heard about my powers. Bet you're surprised. Now, what about you?"

"You pound me then you expect to hear my life story. You're the weirdest bully I ever met."

"Yeah," Burn said in a smirking tone. "I push superheroes around instead of nerds." He kicked at Red, who rolled out of the way suddenly and jumped up, then shoulder-checked Burn in the stomach. Burn didn't budge an inch, and before Red had even registered this turn of events a flaming fist smashed into the side of his helmet. Another cracked his visor, and another produced a nasty crunch from his shoulder.

Yellow had to admit that the Risen with the ornate armor was tougher than the cannon fodder he was used to as the torch dug into his chest for the fifth time. In a movement unusually graceful for him Yellow slipped his bear card into his Battle Dealer. Brimming with strength he swung the Grav-Hammer just as the Risen stabbed at him again. The heavy head of his weapon cleaved through the torch, and Yellow batted the Risen away with another powerful swing.

"Serpent Striker!" he heard Black yell and looked up to see his teammate drive off the rest of the Risen with a flurry of charged lashes from his whip.

"Looks like the new kid needs us to bail him out, let's go," Yellow said, managing to sound like he wasn't looking forward to the prospect. Red's uniform was scorched from blow after blow, and went down hard as Burn's fiery fist connected with his ribs.

"You're not going alone," said the familiar voice of StellarRose as she, Pink and Blue ran up. "Hold it right there, tough guy!"

StellarBurn did indeed stop raining fire-shrouded punches on Red. He turned to face the five of them, folding his arms in front of himself. "Well, if it isn't the new chick leading the old pack. I'm real sorry I never got to meet you. Still, I think blood red's more my style."

"I couldn't agree more," Rose aimed her rifle at Burn and squeezed the trigger. Nonchalantly he blocked the shot on the palm of his hand, then he dialed into his device. 3-4-7-8

"Fist of Gehena!" he roared and a fireball as tall as StellarRose shot from his arm. They gasped and scattered but it landed where they'd been and exploded, blowing them into the air like feathers. Burn jumped at Rose in midair. She flipped her rifle into its sword form but Burn batted it away with one hand and delivered a vicious uppercut with the other.

Rose reeled from the blow but rolled to her feet quickly and produced a card. "Equuleus, Power!" she exclaimed and the card vanished in its usual purple haze. She grappled Burn but he shoved her back, dazed her with a raging blow to the temple and then knocked her flat with a second punch.

StellarBurn turned to the rest of the team, who were just getting to their feet, and grinned inside his helmet. 3-2-7-4 he dialed, then called out "Blaze Dash!" He charged through their midst trailing fire behind him. Black was on the ground before he even saw his enemy coming. Yellow took a swing with his hammer and Pink launched a spinning kick as Burn approached but he had so much speed he blew them clear off the ground just by running between them. Black was trying to slip a card into his Battle Dealer when Burn dashed up and kicked him through the corner of a building.

"I'll show you what I can _really_ do next time," he said, then was swallowed up in a pillar of flame.

* * *

A jet of flame erupted an empty lot across town and when it flickered away there stood Kyle, back to his normal form. He hiked to the other side of the lot and ducked into the low tent he'd strung between two stunted trees, where he fished into his dilapidated backpack. For a second he considered swiping a new one, but he retrieved a packet of stolen smokes from the front pocket. He pulled one out and touched the tip of his index finger to the end, and within seconds it was sizzling.

Just as he Kyle took his first puff, though, he realized he was indoors. Standing by a wall-to-wall window, gazing out over the skyline of an alien city, was Amro Vayon. His new benefactor, he reminded himself. To his annoyance the cigarette hadn't made the trip with him.

"I'll thank you not to foul my city with those things."

"Then warn me before you go bringing to your damn bedroom," Kyle said in annoyance. "I was in a good mood too."

"Mind your tone."

"Mind yours. I'm a contractor, remember? Not one of your little worship buddies."

"Touche," Vayon said. "How does the Conflicter work?"

Kyle smiled as he admired the device on his wrist. "It works even better than the ring I used to have. Got to admit, I'm impressed."

"Did Stellarman put up a fight?"

"They tried, but I was always the strongest. I still am, even with that new chick around. I think I'll let that sink in for a while before I go back."

"If I might be so bold, you sound like you're enjoying your new power," Vayon ventured.

"It's not new, it's finding my old groove."

"You're welcome."

* * *

"How am I going to explain these ones?" Daniel muttered as a pair of SDA nurses wrapped bandages around his chest and arms. One sore eye was already covered.

"Valentine will give you an alibi before you leave," one of the nurses told him in reply, even though he hadn't really been expecting one.

Daniel stood up slowly, the aches from his wounds not kicking in quite as sharply as he'd worried. Almost as soon as he was up again, though, Bohdi seemed to appear out of thin air in front of him.

"Come on! We can't find Erica anywhere."

"Does Thebes know?" Daniel asked as they dashed down the hall, ignoring the aching patches on his limbs awfully well, he thought.

"She ran off as fast as anyone I ever saw when she found out. In heels."

"Valentine, any ideas?" Daniel said as he switched on his Stellphone.

"Commander Thebes has left Sol Dome and is heading toward Cape Lombard at…well, she's driving too fast."

"I meant Erica," Daniel clarified, "Although that's interesting too…"

"No, I have no idea where she'd be. She's probably keeping her Starlight down to keep from being found."

"Valentine, you're not holding out on me, are you?"

"…what do you mean?"

"I mean if Erica's gone and Thebes left the base like a bat out of hell, then she probably knows where Erica went. And if Erica just disappeared after we got crushed like that, she's probably really upset about it."

"Probably."

"And since we don't have StellarSavage we'd be in a lot of trouble if anything happened to Erica, right?"

"Right…but Thebes will bring her back."

"Are you sure you mean that?" Bohdi put in.

"…"

"Come on, Val," Daniel said. "They don't exactly have the smoothest mother-daughter relationship."

"…"

"…Val?"

"If either of them asks, I didn't tell you this."

"Great. Have the others meet us at the Advancer," Daniel smiled.

"The whole team?" Bohdi asked, a look of confusion crossing his flat face.

"I've got a bad feeling about this. How fast does the Advancer go, anyway?"

* * *

The pebble Erica had tossed sailed off the cliff and over the waves until even she couldn't see it anymore. She slumped back against the seat of the Auto Swan and sighed.

She didn't even know a word to describe how she felt. Frustration was a good start, she guessed. Ever since she was old enough to hold a gun she'd been training to be StellarRose and in the space of a few weeks she'd become outmoded. And thanks to that same upbringing she didn't even have anyone she could tell about it.

Maybe the other kids on the team. But no…she'd told them that morning she could handle Kyle…but then again, none of them had expected him to show up with a transformation device supplied by Proxordo. If those Risen that had jumped Cliff and Bohdi hadn't been a coincidence.

She sighed and clutched her forehead. Was she that confused by all this? Who else could've provided him with such a thing, and who had more to gain by sending a super-powered thug after them?

She let out a yell as she split a hefty rock in two with a chop. What was she supposed to do? She was the one with all the training, she was the one with all the power, she was the one the entire organization was depending on to carry them. She was about to split another rock when she heard a car approaching. She could make out the SDA insignia on the front of the hood even as it snaked up the road toward the cliff. A second later it parked and Commander Thebes piled out.

"Erica, what are you---"

"Spare me, Commander. I'm allowed to get mad and blow it off like everyone else."

"This is not the time, young lady," Commander Thebes said in her sternest voice. "Right now--"

"Right now we're up against something we have no idea how to beat. Unless you're working on another secret weapon. Secret from the people who are going to use it, even." "What are you saying to me, Erica?"

"I'm saying it seems like for all the trust you're putting in us there's an awful lot you're trying to keep us in the dark about. Don't tell me you weren't expecting that."

Commander Thebes sighed tiredly. "Because there are a lot of things I haven't told the team, even you. These upgrades put a heavier strain on the user, and I don't want to use them unless it's absolutely necessary. If I told you about them beforehand, don't try to tell me you wouldn't want to hunt them all down regardless of the risks. As for Delphinus, I couldn't risk Proxordo learning about it until it was ready."

"Oh, bull. They haven't been able to hack us since way back when."

"Maybe, what about the rest?"

Erica opened her mouth for another pointed remark, but stopped. There was definitely a logic to having all the assets they had access to at their disposal, especially as Proxordo seemed to be getting even more formidable lately. And yet…Erica _didn't_ really want the others running risks they didn't need to. Yes, being a superhero involved a certain amount of risk regardless, but she'd wanted to have people around she could actually associate with for ages. Something she was finally starting to do.

Would the team want to go after every possible advantage they could, regardless of how it might result? The meeting earlier that day certainly supported Thebes's predictions of them. Daniel especially. He didn't direct things from the rear, and he always liked to have his cards on the table. The others had reasons of their own, but yes, if they knew about a possible advantage, they would try to seize it. Even if it would burn them out with extended use. And the battles had certainly been calling upon the others to use their amplifier cards longer and harder…

"I'm kind of surprised to hear you thinking like that," Erica finally found her voice.

"Erica, if I could've found any grown adults to form Stellarman, I would've. The six of you have so much of life left to live, that's why I'm not eager to have you use things like the Battle Dealers unless it's absolutely necessary. It may not be showing yet, but those things _are_ putting a strain on the team."

"We're still talking about saving the world." "I know."

The wind picked up, tossing Erica's hair off her shoulders and sending a chill down her spine. "Commander, can I ask you something?"

"Depends."

"Are you really sure your people wiped Kyle's memory of being StellarRed?"

"I'm just as surprised as you, Erica. If I had to guess what happened I'd probably say it had something to do with how much Starlight he can store. He might never have been effected at all and was just waiting for us to forget about him. I honestly don't know. Kyle's one of a kind."

"That's a nice way of putting it."

Another quiet moment passed, with only the sound of the wind breaking the uncomfortable silence. Commander Thebes was the first to speak this time.

"So, Rose Valkyrie working okay?"

"It works great, you see that for yourself all the time. I wouldn't mind getting to have a robot fight alongside the rest of the guys sometime, though."

"We're getting close," Commander Thebes said.

Erica didn't answer. Her gaze was caught by a black, bat-like shape flying in their direction. In a matter of seconds it had swollen to the size of a plane but diving straight at where they stood.

"Rose Nexus, Unlock!" Erica yelled. Her pendant blazed with a purple light that engulfed her, leaving behind StellarRose as it faded. She started up the Auto Swan and it carried its two passengers out the way just before a huge foot swept across the cliff and smashed the Commander's car

The thing, whatever it was, came to rest a ways away, and it was enormous. A red and black metal dragon, its gargantuan wings spread wide, turned to face them. Already Cygnus and Equuleus were dashing into view. Commander Thebes jumped off and Rose steered her car underneath the robotic swan where she was pulled inside by a powerful beam.

"Star Cross!" StellarRose yelled. The two robotic animals locked together, folded, reconfigured.

"The beautiful but deadly warrior, Rose Valkyrie!" Rose announced as her robot hefted its lance at the dragon. "And I bet I know who's inside that thing!"

"What a puzzler!" came StellarBurn's jeering reply. "I like the way your Starlight feels…It was fun finding you."

"So you're not just a goon, you're a pervert too."

"Now that was just mean," Burn said, faking hurt feelings. "Draco's gonna have to give you a spanking." The dragon reared back its head and spewed flame all over the cliff, nearly engulfing Rose Valkyrie but the feminine robot dove over the tongues of flame. Suddenly Draco flew at Rose Valkyrie and rammed it in mid-air, causing Rose Valkyrie to land in a heap while Draco arced up into the sky. As it swooped by it loosed another blast of flaming breath at its enemy.

"You can't handle me at this size either, looks like! Too bad your friends won't be coming to save you, girlie!" Burn sneered.

"I can take care of myself!" Rose retorted. Rose Valkyrie slashed at the dragon's belly but the weapon slid off, not even leaving a mark. Draco's talons gashed her robot's shoulder as it flew by, knocking Rose Valkyrie on its back.

Commander Thebes frantically activated her Stellphone. "Stellarman, report in! We're under attack! Stellarman!"

"We're on our way, Commander."

* * *

The Advancer sped along a deserted road, almost a blur against the landscape. From behind a small hill a trio of Risen watched, one of the bronze-armored Amp-Risen in the middle.

"There they are," said the one on his right.

"Let me show you what you're working towards, shall I?" he said and aimed the tip of his torch just ahead of the hovering car. A fireball jumped from the end and slammed into the front of the Advancer. It careened off the road and into a ditch. A ribbon of smoke curled from the hood.

"And that, my friends, is why Proxordo is going to win this war. They thought we'd let them just zip to their friend's rescue."

All at once the Advancer's roof hatch exploded popped off, yellow and pink streaks erupting from it. Before she touched the ground StellarPink had thrown her Arc Blader. The lesser Risen scattered but their leader held up his torch and swatted the boomerang away.

"Only two survivors?"

"I bet that's what you'd like to think," Yellow said, a confident edge to his words.

"What?" the Amp-Risen said, then pointed his torch at Pink and Yellow and his accompliches rushed them.

"Can I go first this time?" Pink asked, but her dolphin card was already in her Battle Dealer. "Wave Cutters!" Whirling blades of rippling power shot from her hands, knocking them over.

The Amp-Risen launched a fireball from its torch. Yellow hefted his hammer to bat it away, but Pink was faster. "Depth Bomber!" She held out arms and globes of water the size of soccer balls shot from them, pelting the fireball. It shrank with each hit until it was completely extinguished, but the water kept coming. It knocked the torch from the Amp-Risen's hand then pummeled him off his feet.

"You could've saved some for me," Yellow sighed.

"You wouldn't be satisfied with small fries like these anyway," Pink replied. "Wait until we meet Kyle again. Let's see how he likes what the dolphin can do."

* * *

"You're feeling the same giant bump every few seconds we are, right?" Black asked as the other three sped along on their bikes.

"Yes," Red answered, pulling ahead a little.

"You know that means there's probably a monster there already having fun with Erica," Blue said on his other side.

"Worse," Red said.

"What?"

"Think about it. It's probably Kyle, right? And what do we have for when we get in big trouble?"

"The Ptolemic Machines," Black replied, sounding even more ill at ease.

"Aw man, I want the dragon…" Blue moaned as they crested a hill and the battle came into view.

"Focus, Blue," Red hissed.

"I know…"

Draco flew in and grappled with Rose Valkyrie as they watched, slashing the robot over the chest and shoulders then pumping its wings and rising skyward again.

"Blue, looks like you're up."

"Whatever you say, boss man," she said and readied the crow card.

"Beta Card Set. Summon," her Battle Dealer announced as she slapped it in. Rose Valkyrie stabbed as Draco came in for another pass but was knocked on its back by a spiked ball like a mace on the tip of the dragon's tail.

"Looks like I'm still the strongest," Burn chuckled.

"Hate to break it to you, buddy, but I rule the skies," Blue said. Corvus appeared, flying between Draco and its original target. Draco spewed a flaming blast but Corvus easily flew around and around the dragon, slapping it across the nose with a wingtip.

Black and Red dashed to the spot where Commander Thebes was anxiously watching the battle unfold. "How did you get here so fast?" she asked breathlessly.

"We were already on our way over," Black explained. Commander Thebes knitted her brow but returned her eyes to the battle.

"Beta Cross!" Blue yelled and her robot split apart, locking onto Rose Valkyrie's body and furnishing its wings. Rose Valkyrie clutched its lance and took to the air after Draco.

"What are you guys doing here?" Rose asked. Her robot flew by Draco, thrusting the lance, and with the extra push of Corvus's wings behind it this time the weapon left a gash along Draco's neck.

"We thought you might be in trouble. Not just with Kyle, either."

Draco slithered back in their direction, aiming the ball on its tail for one of the wings, but Rose Valkyrie went into a barrel roll and it only clipped the end of one metal feather.

"Thanks, Aki."

Blue clapped her on the shoulder. "You're on a team. Get used to it."

"Not bad, girls. Let's see you keep up with this!" Burn shouted. "Draconian Rebirth!"

Draco's forelegs retracted into the balled armor of its shoulders, which rotated around as humanoid arms sprouted from the other side. Its lower legs folded into its thighs, which slid down to become boots. Finally the dragon's tail and long neck retracted into its torso, the head folding onto its back and revealing a humanoid face with a red headpiece made of long, sharp-looking pieces of metal. Finally the tip of Draco's tail, capped with its mace, detached and slid over the new configuration's right hand.

"What do you think of my robot now?" Burn called. Draco flew at them, its wings erupting in flames. Rose Valkyrie raised its lance but Draco thrust its mace-arm, overpowering Rose Valkyrie's defenses and sending it into a crazed tailspin.

"Winds of Ruin!" The flames wreathing Draco's wings shot off, forming a bat-shaped projectile. It slammed into Rose Valkyrie, covering the robot in flames as it crashed into the ground. Draco landed nearby, and raised its mace high. All of a sudden though, two tiny beams bounced off its face. Standing far below, their guns drawn, were Red and Black.

"You really think we should be provoking the nihilist with the giant robot?" Black whispered as they fired more useless lasers.

"Would I be on this team in the first place if I didn't think I needed to take a stupid risk every now and then?"

To their surprise, Draco lowered its weapon. They heard a grating, superior laugh. "You guys are stupid, but you've got balls. Crush you next time, kids." Draco spread its wings and took to the sky. A minute later it was out of sight.

"I'll be looking forward to it," Red whispered.


	21. Phase 21: Reclamation

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 21: Reclamation

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements in your own work, just ask me.

The only illumination was the sickly light that poured from the bank of monitors dominating the room. Valentine processed the feeds from all of them at once as powerful scanners the world over sent out their probing waves, trying to detect the slightest bit of residual Starlight.

Here and there they registered tiny blips, people with latent ability to tap that great celestial energy but the scanners couldn't be tuned finely enough to track them down. There were bigger things on her digital mind anyway. Valentine adjusted the search area, looking for larger responses.

Valentine felt a weird sensation at the back of the computer that was her mind as she searched further. She felt like she'd always been confined to this room, lending aid from behind the scenes. Which, of course, was what she did. What she'd been built for. She knew the job she did was vital, especially now as she probed ever onward for StellarSavage. Part of her wished she could be out there with Stellarman, though, taking direct measures against Proxordo. Especially since Kyle had come back and proven more powerful than ever with Vayon backing him…

Then she heard it. A long, proud kind of hum. It was muffled somewhat, probably thanks to Proxordo trying to hide it, but they'd underestimated the SDA.

There it was…!

* * *

3-4-7-8

"Fist of Gehenna!" StellarBurn threw a fiery punch and knocked a hole in Prox Dozer's torso. It was the first attack he'd made. In the blink of an eye the massive Truthcraft had melted into a hissing puddle.

A harsh ringing filled the room and a pair of heavy chains flew through the air, encircling Burn's wrists. Prox Tone approached, extending a humming tuning fork at Burn's brow while Prox Chain tightened his namesake weapons around their opponent.

"You pitiful, pitiful machines…," Burn chuckled. Flames wreathed his body, searing through the chains. He lashed out with a chop that severed Prox Tone's outstretched arm at the elbow. The tuning fork he'd been intending to scramble Burn's brain with clattered to the floor. Before the monster could recover Burn rammed a fist through his torso then jerked it upward, slicing Prox Tone's head in two.

Prox Chain uncoiled more chains from around his arms as he circled Burn along with Prox Hurricane, the miniature tornado below his waist churning fiercely, and Prox Cutter, the chainsaw of his place of his hand revving. Burn stabbed a finger at the Conflicter on his wrist to dial in another attack, and his opponents rushed him. Prox Hurricane tried to engulf Burn in his air funnel, Chain flailing his vicious links, and Cutter slashing wildly. Burn jumped high, vaulting over Prox Hurricane and kicking him hard in the back. Prox Hurricane gasped and lurched forward, catching the ends of the two chains with his raging winds and yanked Prox Chain right off his feet. Before Prox Cutter could regain his bearings, Burn snapped off his saw and rammed it through the monster's chest.

"Three down, two to go," Burn chortled in his throat. He dialed into his Conflicter again, 7-8-6-7-6. "Firestorm," he whispered, then jumped high once again. He sprayed a jet of flame from his palms, blanketing the floor and swallowing up the two unlucky Truthcraft. Within seconds they were reduced to blackened husks, and Burn shattered them with a kick and laughed a contemptuous laugh.

"The new recruit is indeed powerful," Dione said from a gallery overlooking the room. "The rest of the Veritium went into those…"

"It will be replaced," Vayon assured her.

"I thought you said we wouldn't need it anymore, though," Kamandetes reminded him. Haikoga just huffed loudly through his nostrils.

"Very observant, loyal Kamandetes, but I said we'll no longer need to rely on it to strengthen our warriors. And I meant that. Stellarman thought they had it rough before, but they haven't seen anything yet."

Vayon turned slowly, then walked out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Dione asked his back.

"To prepare a surprise, my dear."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Valentine?" Bohdi said slowly, wanting to believe her news but reluctant to do so after all the setbacks they'd been suffering.

"There's no doubt about it," she said, synthesized pride unmistakable in her tone. Stellarman and Commander Thebes watched as she indicated a tiny island about a hundred miles off the tip of Florida on her screen. It was covered in a strange green ripple but beneath it were red, black, blue, yellow and pink pulses. "They tried to hide it from us but only the Ptolemic Machines could be receptacles of that much Starlight. That's where StellarSavage is."

"Well what are waitin' for?" Cliff asked. "Let's go get it back!"

"Not so fast, kid," Aki interrupted him. "Don't you think they'd have it guarded?"

"If they thought we wouldn't find it, maybe not."

"Okay, but what about the monster that took it over in the first place? He's probably still got control, and even if we got StellarSavage back he could probably take it over again."

"Then we need to focus on getting rid of the monster, obviously," Caitlin pointed out.

"…I don't like this," Aki pressed. "I mean, Vayon knows we want StellarSavage back. He wouldn't make it easy on us."

"What happened to her?" Erica asked.

"Excuse me?"

"They told me you were the wild one. What's with all the anxiety?"

"Oh give me a break," Aki sighed. "I'm not allowed to point out the problems with the plans?"

Daniel clapped a hand on her shoulder. "We really don't have a choice. If that's where StellarSavage is we need to get it back before they move it, or worse."

"Indeed," interjected Commander Thebes. "The way the battles have been going we'll need all the power we can get our hands on. Valentine, see if you can establish a remote link with StellarSavage's sensor array, see where they're keeping it. But be careful, understand?"

"Of course."

Thebes fixed her with a confused look. "Of course?"

"Of course, Commander," Valentine said and saluted for good measure.

Daniel and Cliff exchanged glances as the Commander's brow furrowed, then a smirk. The Commander shook her head and led the group out of the monitor room. Valentine turned back to her console, tapping in a familiar sequence of keys to establish contact with StellarSavage's mainframe. At this range, with whatever Proxordo was trying to use to shield it…

FAILURE TO ESTABLISH LINK

"Damn," she cursed, surprising herself. Still, it had been a faint hope to begin with.

There was another option open to her, she remembered. Commander Thebes was unlikely to approve, but…could they afford to play it safe at a time like this? If she used a more powerful computer to attempt the connection, it might work.

A more powerful computer like herself.

A panel popped open on the back of Valentine's neck and a long tube snaked out. She guided the end toward a socket in the control panel, and as soon as it clicked into place the monitor room disappeared. Instead she was standing in a flickering green maze, currents of power zipping along the ground every few seconds.

She felt a warmth behind her and slowly made her way through the shimmering halls, searching for its source. At each junction she peered around cautiously, but never saw anything that wasn't supposed to be in the robot's system. Where was the monster that had hijacked StellarSavage before?

Finally Valentine rounded a bend and there was a scintillating red orb atop a digital pedestal. The nerve center of StellarSavage's operations. She walked over and reached out to touch it, but suddenly she felt a painful shock and was hurled to the virtual floor. She looked up to see the red outline of a parabolic dish hovering over her.

"Hello, Valentine," a pleasant voice addressed her.

* * *

Delphinus hummed quietly as it parted the sapphire waters of the Atlantic. Trailing slightly behind was Cygnus, its wings folded against its sides to allow for greater speed. It wasn't designed for the same kind of speed underwater, but it was the only other Ptolemic Machine that came anywhere close.

"What do you think's gonna be guarding StellarSavage?" Cliff asked form Delphinus's rear, just to break the silence.

"If we're lucky, nothing," Daniel replied.

Cliff shook his head and chortled. "You're always so straight-laced."

"I'm the leader, I'm supposed to be. Unless you want to take over?"

"Who, me? No way, I'm too smart for the job. You don't have to pretend to be so upstanding around us, though."

Daniel quirked an eyebrow. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You act like this is all business, but when a fight gets going you're enjoying yourself," Cliff answered, a smirk on his face. "And admit it, you missing having StellarSavage around. You're jonesin' to be back in the pilot seat again."

"Whatever."

"Admit it. You're the only one who doesn't have a Beta Unit. You can't wait until we pull this off and you get to pilot a cool giant robot again," Cliff smacked his shoulder.

"Thanks, Cliff," Daniel said.

"Huh?"

"For trying to get my mind off all the crap that's been happening. Losing Savage, Kyle gunning for me…It's kind of been wearing on me."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was doin'," Cliff said. "Are we almost there, Catie?"

"According to the map, that's it up ahead," Caitlin replied. "I'm not showing anything on sonar. I'm kind of nervous about this…"

"We all are, Catie," Daniel assured her.

"Well, he is," Cliff amended.

"Don't slow down, get us up to the shore as quick as you can," Daniel said. "If Proxordo's waiting for us we don't want to give them a target out here."

"Understood." Delphinus surfaced a second later and the swan robot was right behind it. The island was little more than a stretch of land peeking above the water, two steep hills jutting upward near the center. They waited a moment, but the only sound was a hoarse wind rustling through the scraggly trees covering the island.

"So what now?" Cliff asked.

Daniel ignored him. "Catie, anything on the scanner?"

"I see the five blips. The big ones, I mean. But something's wrong. It looks like they should be on the surface, but…"

"Something's throwing them off. Everybody, fan out and look for the Ptolemic Machines. Don't evolve yet but do it as soon as anything happens, got that?" Daniel said.

"Yeah, we got you, boss man," Cliff replied.

"Understood, Daniel," said Bohdi, ignoring Cliff's remark. With chilling ease he vanished into the trees, not making a sound as he went.

"You know, I'm glad I didn't grow up where he did," Aki remarked.

"You can tell us all about after we're back at the Dome. Move out, people," Daniel replied and vanished into the brush himself. Caitlin followed a second later, and Cliff followed her.

"I just don't get that kid," he said to her as they crept along, defeating the purpose of creeping. "Why doesn't anything get to him?"

"I'm just glad we didn't get another Kyle," Caitlin grumbled. "The miserable pervert."

"Liking you makes someone a pervert?"

"If you just stand there and stare at someone all the time, it does."

"He did?" Cliff said, honestly surprised. "Well now I have a new reason to punch his face the next time I see him."

"Cliff, cut the macho stuff out, will you?" Caitlin sighed in exasperation. "We're here to do a job, not boost our stupid egos."

"I know we're here to do a job. But I never said I was as professional as you and him."

"I guess you didn't," Caitlin mumbled. She paused to look around and listened for any unusual noises, and heard one. There was a crackling and a bolt of blue light shot between brother and sister, slicing through a pair of trees and filling the air with dry leaves.

"Catie!" Cliff yelled and ran to her side. She appeared fine, but her ring was already flashing.

"Cosmic Evolution!" Once again Cliff and Caitlin vanished and StellarYellow and StellarPink appeared in their place. Two more bolts like the first shot at them but they somersaulted clear and had their Switch Magnums in hand when they came to a stop behind two more trees.

"Where is it?" Yellow whispered.

"Shut up and let me listen," Pink whispered back, tightening her grip on her gun. The island was deathly quiet after the attack. She didn't even hear the others charging through the trees to come to their aid. For a horrible moment one word hovered in her mind: "Figures." She shook her head to banish the thought and peered out from the direction where the bolts had come.

Coming toward them was another of Proxordo's monstrous soldiers, clad in gleaming blue armor and carrying a massive halberd in one hand as if it were a toy. Atop his shoulders was a cylindrical head studded with wide, alert eyes. There was something off about this one, however. Rather than a metallic cast to the parts Pink could see that weren't covered in armor plate, it looked almost fleshy. That, and every few seconds a small tongue of flame raced up the blade of his halberd. She could feel the energy from it where she hid. It was exactly the same as the dizzying power she'd felt that terrifying moment where she'd been invited into Amro Vayon's presence.

"You can't hide from me, you know," the monster suddenly said, then cleaved through the tree Pink was crouching behind with one swing of his halberd. She hurled herself to the ground as the blade whistled past her helmet, then took aim at the monster and fired her Switch Magnum at his chest. The shot glanced off as if it were a spitball.

Another shot came toward the monster from Yellow's gun, and again it hit him without leaving the slightest impact. The monster swung his halberd and a sheet of energy flew out and bowled Yellow over, the chest of his uniform blackened from the attack. Pink gasped as she felt the power of the attack and nearly collapsed.

"What the hell are you?!" she cried.

"I am vigilance. I am the first of the Truthbringers, Prox Sentinel."

* * *

Bohdi had loaded the card for his whip before his uniformed had formed itself around him. As he weaved through the trees he saw colorful shapes--purple, blue, and red--running in the same direction as he was. They were on the hunt for whatever had made those sounds, the same as he was.

All of a sudden it felt like he was back on Chahi, and yet…something was different. He'd tracked the same prey as other hunters before, but only before his powers surfaced had he actually worked as part of a group.

He was glad he'd left.

A second later a clearing came into view, but not one that looked like it had been there before they arrived. Several trees had fallen and over them he could see Yellow and Pink desperately dodging out of the way of a flurry of blasts fired from the countless eyes of an armored monster.

"Equuleus, Power!" StellarRose cried and threw her horse card ahead of her, diving through it with her thin sword aimed at the monster's chest. The tip jabbed through his breastplate, but Prox Sentinel acted like nothing had happened.

"Get going, you guys! I'll deal with peepers here!" Rose yelled. Yellow nodded and charged off in the direction the monster had come. With a moment of hesitation the others followed.

"We can't just leave her, there's something about that monster--" Pink protested as they ran.

"She knows what she's doing," Black cut her off. "If there's a guard, the Ptolemic Machines can't be too far away."

"But--"

"Have a little faith, Catie," Yellow said, and to her surprise she felt a bit calmer.

They had reached the base of one of the hills, and Black raised an arm to call the team to a halt. "You see something, big guy?" Red asked.

Black nodded and pulled some dried up vines away from a narrow cave mouth. "Think we should check it out? I can't imagine where else they could hide the Ptolemic Machines except underground…"

"Me either. Let's get down there and get 'em back before Rose gets in trouble," Red said, leading the way.

If only he could have seen what was going in the clearing. Prox Sentinel, unfazed by StellarRose's sword, swept his halberd and smashed through the blade just above the hilt. She jumped backward, clutching her broken weapon, and watched in alarm as Prox Sentinel pulled the blade from his torso and threw it away. Without missing a beat he advanced on Rose.

"Thorn Capture," Rose said and her weapon whirred as it transformed into a half-ring. As Prox Sentinel brought back his weapon for another wing at her, she threw the Thorn with all her might. It clamped onto the monster's wrist and its chain shot from one end, curling around the trunk of a tree. The surprised Prox Sentinel tried to pull free and electric current ran up his arm. Still, he seemed unharmed.

"You're going to have to accept the bar has been raised, human," he said. "The world will be cleansed, whether you and your colorful friends like it or not."

Then Prox Sentinel seemed to explode, walls of fire erupting outward from his body. Rose shielded her eyes from the blaze, but when she lowered her arm, she realized she was in even deeper trouble than before.

Towering over her was Prox Sentinel, reborn a giant like so many of his predecessors. A huge foot raised then descended again toward her, but she threw herself out of the way and hurled her cards into the air.

She could do this. She had to. The whole team was depending on her…

* * *

"You guys feel that?" Blue asked as they continued to descend into the tunnel. Spurts of dirt and rock fell around them as they did.

"It's a little hard to miss," Red replied. "It just means we need to get this over with faster. Come on."

After another minute of walking the tunnel bottomed out and emptied into a vast cavern that looked as if it stretched out farther than the borders of the island above it. Illuminating it was a string of orbs along the ceiling of the Fire of Truth. And dominating the room was StellarSavage. It was an awesome sight to behold from the outside. Red was the only one not captivated, however.

"It can't be this easy…" he said and looked back and forth for danger.

"How right you are," said a snide voice. From out of an alcove in the wall stepped Kyle, an uncomfortably superior smile on his face. "Hey guys, looks like your babysitter's not here…still out there playing with the monster, I bet. Let me guess, you're after that," he jerked his thumb in the huge robot's direction. Then without waiting for an answer he flicked open the Conflicter on his wrist and punched in four digits.

2-8-7-6

"Burn UP!" Flames wept over Kyle, garbing him in his blood-red uniform and black armor. Even as they did Red slammed his wolf card into his Battle Dealer.

"Don't take this personally, Daniel," Black warned.

"Yeah, really," Burn agreed. " 'Cuz I'm gonna fry all five of you." Again he dialed, 2-2-5-7-8.

"Blastfire," he said with a tone that suggested he was looking forward to what came next. His fist erupted in flame, then he thrust it in Stellarman's direction. A fireball jumped from his knuckles and exploded in the middle of the group, hurling them around like feathers in a tornado.

* * *

Valentine's avatar picked itself up off the floor, Slowly, cautiously, but the shock that had floored her in the first place didn't happen a second time. She regarded the image of the dish. "Hello?" she said finally.

"I'm sorry about that…greeting, you might call it," the dish addressed her. "It was a security measure in case someone attempted to reach me here."

"Are you the Truthcraft that took over StellarSavage? I wasn't expecting a reception like this."

"I was, once. Now, I'm not so sure," the dish replied.

"Why?" asked Valentine, remembering being told about Stellarman's face-to-face encounter with Vayon where he'd discussed philosophy before siccing his followers on them.

"Because I'm the last of my kind. When Amro Vayon returned to Proxordo, he had learned much more about the Fire of Truth that gives his soldiers life. He no longer needed to animate a shell with it, he could create life itself by compressing the Fire with enough force of will. If I'm not mistaken StellarRose is fighting such a creature right now."

"I came here thinking I might have to fight you," Valentine said warily.

"And if you'd come a few weeks ago, you might have," Prox Override replied. "Vayon hasn't done much with me since I stole this robot from you. Had some of his people analyze it so he could build StellarBurn a robot of his own, but that's about it. I've been left to sit in here and think."

"No offense, but I wouldn't think Truthcraft were built with that in mind. The ones I've observed were built to do one thing and fight people. Some just fight. Then again, I wouldn't say I know a lot about how they're supposed to work."

"I don't think Vayon did either. His underlings built them, he simply provided the power to bring them to life. In any case Truthcraft were never meant to sit around idle. After a while questions started occurring to me. Why am I doing what this man tells me? Why are we created to kill? Was I given life just to steal this weapon? I'm not sure anymore…May I ask you something?" "Go ahead," Valentine replied, not knowing why but feeling more relaxed around the Truthcraft.

"I can tell your creators trust you with a great deal of free will. Why do they do this?" Prox Override asked.

"Because someone able to think their way through problems as they arise is more effective," Valentine answered him. "At least, that was what the guy who designed my brain thought. I don't even remember his name. Zip…Ziv?"

"Did something happen to him?"

"I don't know. I wasn't activated until I was acquired by Stellarman's backers. They told me he just disappeared one day. I started working there as the head overseer, and I never really thought about why I was doing it either. I know I had free will, but I honestly don't think that's so strange. Most people seem to go through life the same way, just moving forward and not thinking about what it's all about.

"But a while ago my superior unlocked higher parts of CPU. The battles were getting more hectic and she thought it would be easier if they could relate to me more as a person than a robot. Once she did I started thinking about things I hadn't before, like wishing I could do more than just relay information."

"But why do you serve them?" Prox Override asked. "You have a mind of your own, don't you?"

Valentine smiled a little. "Because I'm doing an important job. These people count on me to make sure nearly everything in the organization's running smoothly. Honestly, something's probably broken down while we've been talking."

"That doesn't answer my question," Prox Override persisted. "Why do you continue to serve them?"

"Do I need to want to do it for myself?"

* * *

The sky over the forest rang as two giant polearms collided again, Rose Valkyrie and Prox Sentinel standing with their weapons pressed together in a titanic deadlock. Rose Valkyrie shoved suddenly as it tried to throw its opponent off-balance, but Prox Sentinel didn't budge. Instead he jerked his halberd up, sending the robot staggering away before he fixed an eye on the robot's abdomen and landed a vicious stroke there with his weapon.

Rose shrieked as sparks blasted from her console. A monitor flashed to life on one side, showing the damage. "That's where the armor's weakest…how did he know that?" she gasped, but a glance at those dozens of watchful eyes answered the question for her.

She gathered herself then desperately called out, "Final Ride!" Rose Valkyrie charged itself up, then flew at Prox Sentinel with its lance outstretched. The monster indeed seemed surprised as the tip of the lance breached his armor, but as Rose Valkyrie angled up carried him into the sky hoping to get the force of gravity added to its attack Prox Sentinel swiped its halberd and caught Rose Valkyrie on its right wrist. The hand creaked then fell away.

Prox Sentinel kicked the robot away and landed heavily but on his feet. StellarRose screamed as her robot tumbled through the air and crashed through a stand of trees before coming to a stop at the edge of the island.

Things weren't going much better below. Black brought back a powerful arm to swing his whip at Burn, who dashed up and shoulder-checked him so hard he went flying across the cave. Yellow brought down his hammer on the ground where Burn had been just a second before when a black boot smashed into the small of his back.

Blue scuttled nimbly along the uneven walls then vaulted off, firing her gun at Burn's unprotected back. The shot glanced off his uniform, then he turned and said, "Fist of Gehenna." Fire wreathed his fist, and as it connected with her shoulder a nasty "crunch" filled the cavern and Blue spun away, slid off the wall and lay still. All of a sudden Burn threw an elbow-punch behind himself, and Pink flickered back into visibility behind him, doubled over, and hit the floor.

"Looks like it's just you and me now, new kid," Burn said, fixing his visored gaze on StellarRed.

"That's my line," Yellow wheezed.

"Whenever you're ready, tough guy," Red said, going into the strongest defensive stance he knew. Burn reached for his Conflicter again, then stopped and rushed Red. He aimed a chop Red's neck, but was shocked to see Red raise a forearm and block the attack. Almost as shocked as he was when Red's other fist smashed into his middle.

Red didn't let up, he didn't dare. He jumped and executed a spinning kick to Burn's side before delivering three successive punches to Burn's unprotected midsection.

"Enough of this crap," Burn growled. "Blastfire!" Again he shot a ball of flame from his fist, straight at Red. He lunged to one side and the fireball streaked past, but it burst as it hit the wall and sent him sprawling.

* * *

"So you're saying--" Prox Override began, but Valentine's avatar shook her head to cut him off.

"Let's not have a stupid existential crisis, okay? I do what I do because it needs to be done and I happen to be better equipped than most people. You don't seem to like your boss anymore, you probably understand why we're trying to stop him."

"I think I do…" A tremor ran through their surroundings.

"What was that?" Valentine asked.

"My first decision."

StellarSavage trembled, stiff from weeks of disuse and neglect, but its awakening was enough to freeze everyone in the cavern. It turned its flashing eyes toward StellarBurn and a splitsecond later a huge metal fist was falling toward him. He gasped then rolled out of the way before rock slivers went flying.

"Pussies!" he cried, then vanished. It was just as well. The five of them were staring up in fear and amazement at the robot they'd come to recover.

"Since when can the robot drive itself?" Yellow asked.

Blue picked up a rock and threw it at StellarSavage's face. "Anybody in there?!"

"Nice one, Blue," Red hissed.

"Hello, Stellarman," said a calmer version of the voice that had taken over StellarSavage. "I hope I didn't scare you too badly."

"What do you want?" Red asked.

"A friend of yours is in trouble. Shall we go to her rescue?" Prox Override asked. Without waiting for an answer the robot thundered past and smashed its way through the cavern wall and to the surface.

Prox Sentinel hacked his halberd against the fallen robot's other arm, biting deep into the armor. He yanked the blade free and raised it to swing again when two glistening energy bolts struck his back. Prox Sentinel whirled around and spotted StellarSavage, the hydra heads on its shoulders still swiveled forward from firing.

"What is this?" Prox Sentinel said. Calmly, as if was the most routine thing in the world. StellarSavage replied by hurling itself at the Truthbringer, claws-first. Prox Sentinel started to bring down its halberd on the robot's back, but StellarSavage tackled him to the ground.

In her robot's cockpit Rose wrestled with the controls as sparks flew from the control panel. She flicked on the communicator--which, to her relief as much as surprise surprise, didn't blow up in her face--and called, "Guys, is that you in there?"

There was no answer but a weird buzz she recognized as a hail coming over another frequency. "Hello?"

"Rose, are you okay?!" Red's voice crackled out of the panel.

"I think so, but my robot ain't so good…I'm glad you guys showed up."

"That's not us in there."

"…What?" Rose asked hesitantly as StellarSavage and Prox Sentinel wrestled back and forth, their hands wrapped around the shaft of the Truthbringer's halberd.

"What do you think you're doing?" Prox Sentinel said, still trying to pull his weapon away but no anger tainting his voice. "You're a servant of Proxordo, just like I am."

"Am I? Why was I left to rot inside this robot? Because our glorious leader made me to do one job, and after it was done he didn't need me anymore."

"We are created to serve."

"Because you can count the number of people with a brain he trusts to have as much power as we do on one hand!" Prox Override roared. "He wouldn't even bother with them if he could make us fast enough!"

"Master Vayon, strike down this blasphemer! Rescind the sacred gift he was given!" Prox Sentinel yelled.

"I hear, loyal soldier," a booming voice said, seeming to come from everywhere at once. A fiery aura surrounded StellarSavage. Inside the robot's mainframe cracks formed at the edges of Prox Override's image then lengthened inward.

"What's going on?!" Valentine screamed.

"Vayon is pushing the kill switch. You'd better get out of here," Prox Override replied, also casually, as if nothing was on his mind at all.

"You'll die!"

"Then stop him before he does the same thing to anyone else."

"Don't you want to know what it's like out there??"

"I stopped a life from being taken and once I'm gone Stellarman's robot will be theirs again. I think I've made my mark. I was made to be disposable, remember?" With that a beam lanced from the center of his image and struck Valentine's avatar. Static filled her every receptor, and the next thing she knew she was lying prone on the floor of the Sol Dome control room. Looming over her were Commander Thebes and a group of worried-looking technicians.

"Valentine, what happened to you?" the Commander asked.

"I got StellarSavage back…" Valentine replied, sounding…disappointed?

* * *

All at once StellarSavage deactivated. The lights went out in its eyes and its hands unclenched from around Prox Sentinel's halberd. The monster didn't let the opportunity pass him by and battered StellarSavage off its feet.

"Black, get Monoceros out here now," Red ordered.

"Whatever you say," Black replied, inserting the card and pressing the summon button. In a flash the proud unicorn robot appeared before the team and Black jumped into the cockpit. As Prox Sentinel was bringing his weapon down on the helpless gestalt Monoceros charged forward and caught the tip of the blade with its horn.

"Pink, get into Rose Valkyrie! The rest of you, you're with me!" Red ran for where StellarSavage lay, and a second later he'd flung open a hatch on the side of its head and crawled inside, Blue and Pink right behind.

His central eye blazed and a ray ripped from the pupil and straight at Monoceros's neck, but the unicorn robot darted aside and the ray tore into the ground beside StellarSavage. Which, to his alarm, rose to its feet and swatted the surprised monster aside.

"Beta Cross!" Red yelled with a passion. Obligingly Monoceros disassembled and attached itself as a helmet and armor to StellarSavage. The robot grabbed its head and the horn extended outward, becoming a gleaming sword. Before Prox Sentinel could defend himself the blade had sliced into his armor.

"Proxordo will win in the end no matter how many of those metal monstrosities you have," Prox Sentinel said, but there was no mistaking the gasp of pain he let out.

"We just undid the worst thing you guys ever managed," Red said defiantly. "And now I think it's about time we undid you." StellarSavage slashed its sword again but this time Prox Sentinel parried it with his own weapon and sent the robot reeling back with a point-blank eye blast to the chest. "Pink, combine now!"

"Eh??!" Prox Sentinel grunted, but without even turning around he saw Rose Valkyrie rise, then Delphinus appeared in the air, separated and locked into place on the humanoid robot.

"Hydro Pulse," Pink said, and with sparks spewing from its damaged arms Rose Valkyrie aimed the jets on its forearms at their opponent. Two streams of water shot from the jets and battered Prox Sentinel's back. He roared and fired beams from every eye covering his head but StellarSavage ricocheted one back off the flat of its sword. Right into the puncture the same sword had made before. Prox Sentinel collapsed to his knees.

"Care to do the honors, Black?" Red asked.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Black replied.

"Avenger's Blade!" Red yelled. StellarSavage clutched its sword, the blade glowing with dazzling white power. It raised the sword high above its head, then with a vicious diagonal cut cleaved through Prox Sentinel's torso. He started to say something in defiance but StellarSavage slashed again, sending Prox Sentinel's head tumbling from its shoulders. The monster's remains immediately burst into flames and burned away to nothing.

"Let's get out of here," Red said.

* * *

*Clink-Clank-Clink-Clank-Clink-Clank-Clink-*

"Would you knock it off with that bloody pacing already? You're driving me insane!" Dione shrieked at Kamandetes. Haikoga huffed in amusement.

The three had gathered in Vayon's audience chamber. Where the latest addition to their ranks was, none knew and at the moment none especially cared.

"I'm sorry," Kamandetes said, something he'd never said in their presence. Haikoga looked around as impassively as always, but Dione and Kamandetes couldn't help being on edge. Even with a powerful new warrior fighting for them and a new breed of monstrous soldier, Stellarman had won again. Not to mention they'd lost possession of that robot. Dione doubted even Vayon in his boundless patience would be taking it well.

"Thank you for gathering here, my faithful," Amro Vayon's voice entered the room. They could see his outline in the shadowy doorframe, but he stayed there for the moment.

"I'm sorry Prox Sentinel failed, Master," Dione said hastily. A laugh came from the doorway.

"The creature was an experiment. I will create more, even deadlier than he was. You see, faithful, this is when we truly begin our war against those who shut their eyes to the Truth!"

"But Stellarman has regained that robot of theirs…" Kamandetes said, then trailed off as if he expected Vayon to pin him to the wall again for overstepping himself.

"Great change only comes through adversity, serpent," Vayon said, and stepped into the light. Dione gasped. His armor was no longer the simple and regal suit of gold she was used to. Decorating the chest plate was the head of a snarling lion-like beast and thick orange and brown plating covering the rest. On each end of his familiar staff was now a long, curved blade.

" 'Amro' meant 'shepherd' in the tongue of those who discovered the Fire of Truth. As of today I cast off that mantle and assume another. Henceforth I am Rogyre Vayon, the General. And today we begin our war on the corruption of this world in earnest."

* * *

"Is something wrong?" Commander Thebes asked Valentine as the robot shuffled listlessly around Sol Dome's control room.

"I should be getting back to work, Commander," Valentine said and reached out for her console but Commander Thebes grabbed her by both shoulders.

"What did you see when you were plugged into StellarSavage?" she demanded.

Valentine sighed an electric sigh. "I…I saw one of Proxordo's monsters who turned on them, but when they killed him for it, he just accepted it. Said he'd done enough."

"Then maybe we're doing something right after all," the Commander said with a smile.

"What?"

"Everyone's got to choose their own path, Valentine. If one of Vayon's monsters can learn that, maybe his people can too."

"I hope so, Commander."


	22. Phase 22: Lament

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 22: Lament

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

The sun poured its rays down on Cape Lombard. Even though sunglasses covered his eyes, the dark-skinned teen squinted at the brightness. They didn't actually sell sunglasses that would fit him, after all.

The buildings surrounded him, so much that he could hardly see the sky. He found he didn't mind. Another thing reminding him just how far from home he really was. From every direction he heard the noise of hundreds of cars going someplace or another, and a teenage girl squealed into her cell phone a foot from his ear.

"Either I'm losing my mind…or I'm actually enjoying this," Bohdi murmured.

He joined a procession of people crossing the street, none of them paying him the slightest mind. Their indifference was a bit refreshing, though. There was nothing hostile about it, they just took him for one of their own and went about their daily business.

For weeks, Bohdi had been meaning to work up the nerve to leave Sol Dome and make a day of visiting Cape Lombard. When the point of his visit wouldn't be stopping the latest Truthcraft. Or…what had Caitlin called the latest one? A Truthbringer? They'd see another one sooner than later, he imagined.

"Hey buddy, wanna buy a watch?" a guy in a trench coat with three gold teeth hissed at Bohdi from the shadows of a nearby alley.

"Want to keep the teeth you still have?" Bohdi asked, and the guy quickly slunk away. If only they had predators like that back on Chahi.

"Bohdi?"

Instinctively, he froze. Slowly he turned around and relaxed a little when he saw Clifford Ashford looking at him. "What are you doing out here, man?" the bespectacled teen asked.

"I guess I'm in such a good mood from getting you-know-what back I felt like actually leaving the Dome. I'm as surprised as you."

"At least you got a good reason for being out here."

"Dad on your back again?"

"Don't remind me," Cliff sighed, and they walked.

"Cliff?"

"Yeah?"

"How'd you know it was me?"

"You always have the same…outfit. Don't tell me you think people you're around all the time won't be able to recognize you whatever you do to disguise yourself," Cliff said.

"How would I know any different?"

"Touche," Cliff said. "But you always seemed smart enough not to think the crap they show in the movies is what this planet's really like."

"Is it really that different? I mean, look at us--"

Cliff held up his hand and shook his head. "I didn't come out here to talk shop. Let's do something."

"Like what?"

* * *

Holding an orb of the Fire of Truth in either hand, Rogyre Vayon stood in the center of a vast, empty room deep within the bowels of his flying city of Haven. He smashed the two orbs together, forming one massive ball of energy that roiled and hissed as if in protest.

From the far side of the room, Dione, Kamandetes and even Haikoga watched in rapt amazement. Every few seconds a finger of energy formed and lashed out at Vayon but his armor remained unmarked. He pressed harder and harder, shrinking the orb between his hands until it was the size of an orange, then there was a roar and blinding explosion of light.

When Vayon's lieutenants dared to uncover their eyes, a pillar of water stood in front of their leader. It rippled but remained upright, supported no doubt by the power he had just shaped. As they watched three recessions appeared in the upper part in the likeness of eyes and a mouth. Two appendages formed out of the sides like arms, then its lower half into two watery legs. It took a few halting steps, then let out a low piteous wail, its flowing features contorting in a look of anguish.

"So that's a Truthbringer," Kamandetes said, stepping forward to examine his leader's creation. The Truthbringer looked him in the eyes and wailed even more loudly. "Master, I don't mean to question your intent, but--"

"I'm afraid you'll all have to get used to working with a new kind of warrior," Vayon replied, sounding distinctly amused. "This little one is more than meets the eye. And she's going to accompany you to collect a new shipment of Veritium."

"Why do we still need it?" Dione inquired. "It's not as if the Truthbringers need it, do they?"

"You'll see, my dear," Vayon replied. "For now, let's retrieve our new ally. Let him see one of the other worlds where the Fire can take us himself. And a little extra insurance in case something goes wrong."

The orange orb arced gracefully through the air, and dropped through the net. It rebounded off the wall, bounced twice and landed in Cliff's hands. He turned and passed the ball over to Bohdi.

"So I throw the ball into the hoop like you did?"

"Yeah, just like I did. You've seriously never heard of this?" Cliff said a bit incredulously.

"You don't exactly seem like a sportsman yourself, Mr. Ashford," Bohdi fired back.

"Touche," Cliff said again.

"So if you don't mind my asking, is this really where you come to hang out?"

"Not that much, be honest. I'm more of a baseball guy, but you know, it's getting colder and they're starting to send the guys off to not work until spring. So sometimes I kill time here instead."

Neither of them noticed the young man sitting on the edge of roof of the building next door. He smirked as Bohdi lobbed the ball across the gym and bounced it off the rim.

"They still haven't gotten it into their heads to think I could be watching them wherever they are. Isn't that cute? " he said to himself. He aimed a finger at Cliff's head like a gun and mimed firing it.

"I don't know why, but you've got a place in Proxordo. Why are you always out here?" a female voice asked from behind.

Kyle grinned. "You people don't communicate very well, sounds like. What do you want, floaty girl?"

Dione huffed. "Vayon wants you along as we go to retrieve a new supply of Veritium."

"I agreed to help fight Stellarman, not run errands," he shrugged. "But whatever."

"Good, let's go," said Dione, who'd expected to have to drag him back. She vanished, but before Kyle followed he aimed his finger at the gym below again, and the basketball erupted into flames just as Bohdi was reaching out to catch it after this third attempt to sink a basket. He gasped in alarm and looked up just in time to see a figure on the overlooking rooftop vanish.

* * *

The pair reappeared in a long room where a column of Risen in battle armor stood at attention, waiting for the order to move out. Their bronze eyes followed Kyle nervously as he walked past. At the head of the column were Vayon himself and his watery creation, its face still twisted into a look of utmost despair.

"I found him, Master Vayon," said Dione as they approached.

"Well done," Vayon said and embraced her. "Soon, Dione, this will all pay off…"

"I don't know why we brought that…child amongst us, though," she whispered to Vayon.

"He's wild, but powerful," Vayon replied with a smile. "Are you ready to set out, faithful?"

The Risen said nothing, just holding their torches before them in readiness. The Truthbringer clutched its face and moaned pitifully.

"I'm always ready," Dione smiled.

"Sure, this might be fun," Kyle said, looking the other way.

"Then return with the precious crystals, faithful! With it we can refill our stores of Veritium and strike at the corruption of our world once again!" Vayon said, gripping his staff in both hands and raising it above his head. The Fire of Truth surged along the weapon, then Vayon thrust it forward. The Fire formed itself into a ring big enough for a person to walk through. Dione drifted through first, then the Truthbringer shaped itself into a ribbon of water and flowed through after her. The Risen marched in next.

"Burn Up," Kyle said as he dialed the last digit into the Conflicter on his wrist. A sheet of Fire engulfed him and without even waiting for it to solidify into his uniform he entered the portal as well.

The group exited the portal into a barren landscape with bizarre green dunes stretching to the foot of a range of darker green mountains in the distance. A white sun hung in the sky but provided a light warmth they barely noticed. "It's beautiful," one of the Risen whispered.

"Indeed," Dione smiled. "Aren't you glad you joined up now?"

"Green sand, how intriguing," StellarBurn said with disinterest as he emerged from the portal. "What does your boss think he's doing sending so much firepower to a place like this?" He grabbed a Risen by the shoulder and spun her to face him. "Tell me, do you see a single living thing out there?"

"No…no sir, I don't," she stammered.

"Vayon has his reasons. Let's go," Dione said and floated over the sands. The Truthbringer melted into a puddle and flowed over the dunes. The Risen followed, but Burn hung back. He waited until he was sure none of them were looking back at him, something they were all too happy to do, then pointed a finger at the portal behind them. The flickering flames comprising it died down for a minute, then roared up higher than before. Content with what he'd done, Burn turned and jogged after his erstwhile companions.

* * *

"I'm telling you, I saw someone disappear off the roof right after the ball exploded. I'm sure it was Kyle."

Bohdi and Cliff had slipped out of the gym and gone a few blocks before calling in. Cliff kept watching, looking around and waiting for Kyle to show his face so he could punch it in.

"Are you sure? That doesn't sound like something Proxordo would do," Daniel's voice came from Bohdi's Stellphone.

"I don't know what else could've…" Bohdi began to say, then stopped. In the middle of the street a small glowing orb had appeared in midair. It elongated suddenly into a stream of fire, then coiled around until its ends met and it formed a ring. A ring large enough for a person to walk through…

"Bohdi? What's wrong? Answer me."

"Get down here right away, Daniel. I think we've got trouble," Bohdi said, then closed the connection and pressed an orange button to activate the emergency beacon on his Stellphone. He turned to Cliff. "What is that thing?"

"A dare," Cliff answered.

"Then let's not disappoint them." With that Bohdi stepped into the portal and was gone. Cliff gave Amy a reassuring look, then followed Bohdi. In a flash they were standing among green sands as far as they could, and a chill was in the air. Bohdi tapped a button on his Stellphone and his holographic façade melted away.

"This place look familiar to you?" Cliff said as he took in their surroundings.

"I've only been to two planets before now, Cliff. Look," he pointed out several faint trails of footprints, or what was left of footprints after the dry wind had spent a while filling them in.

"Proxordo's already here," Cliff observed. "I thought we were expecting that."

"Yes, but why? We're obviously not on Earth anymore, why would they go to this much trouble to get our attention? They've always taken the direct approach when they've wanted to attack us."

"What about that fast monster?" Cliff asked.

"He was trying to make a point," Bohdi said. "And he only attacked us after we didn't bite. Something's wrong about this…"

"We're not just gonna stand around and wait for them to come to us, are we?" Cliff prodded.

"No, no we're not. Proxordo went on ahead so they're probably here looking for something. We'll try to catch them up and see if we can find out what it is. "

"Capital," Cliff smiled.

"What?"

"Let's go," Cliff said and started across the sand.

* * *

"Why is he bringing up the rear?" one Risen whispered to the one in front of her.

"Maybe he's in charge of making sure none of us run away."

"Run where?"

"Halt," Dione said and raised her arm. They were at the edge of a narrow pass. Beyond the Risen could just make out a rocky dome with what appeared to be windows chiseled in the side. "Burn, you're coming with me. The rest of you, stay here and make sure the pass is clear until we come back."

"Whatever you say, boss lady," Burn replied and started into the pass after Dione. The puddle that was the Truthbringer flowed after her as well. Burn couldn't stop himself from glaring down at it. The weirdoes Proxordo was full of were one thing, but where did he get off creating these…things? Maybe if he were around them all the time he'd get used to them too, but…he hoped not.

A few minutes' walk took them to the other end of the pass and Burn was surprised to find it opened up into a valley sealed in by a tall rocky wall. The dome he'd seen from the other side of the pass was just one of several, with short people in hooded robes scurrying from one to the other going about their business. They stopped as Proxordo's envoys appeared.

All at once the air was full of excited chatter. Burn didn't understand any of it, but a minute later one of the people hobbled out of the largest dome on a cane. "Dione, you've returned!" she said, throwing back her hood as she got closer. She had dark blue skin and a long, hooked nose underneath a mop of unkempt white hair. "You've come for more of the stone, I take it."

Dione smiled a little smile. "I wish I was permitted to come on a social call, Mayvana, but our fight to take back our world gets ever more desperate. Vayon needs more and wishes to beg your charity in helping to advance Proxordo's dream."

"Charity, ha!" the old woman laughed. "Your need for those stones is much greater than ours, my child. How much do you need to take with you?"

Dione sighed. "Fifteen sacks, if you can spare it."

"That's all? I'll get some of the boys to chip off some stones for you right away." Mayvana turned and walked away surprisingly quickly to talk with a group of her people near the wall of the valley.

"Friends of the boss's, eh?" Burn asked idly.

"You could say that. Vayon visited here and wiped out a tribe that was plaguing these people. They've been all too happy to give us Veritium ingredients ever since."

"Lucky for them they have something he wants…"

"What?" Dione said.

"Nothing."

* * *

As they trekked across the sand Bohdi suddenly dove to the ground and knowing better than to ignore his instincts Cliff followed suit.

"What is it?"

"Risen," Bohdi pointed, and Cliff could indeed see a group of Proxordo's metal-skinned followers milling about at the mouth of a pass.

Bohdi balled a fist with his ring-hand. "What do you say we crash their little party?"

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Cosmic Evolution!"

The Risen looked up in surprise as they heard the cry carry over the dunes, but as soon as the noise had registered StellarBlack and StellarYellow were right in front of them. A flurry of punches and kicks followed and within seconds unconscious Risen littered the ground. The two sprinted through the pass and had just reached the end when Black gasped in surprise and dodged out of the way just before a heavy-looking bag landed where he'd been a second before.

"Oh? More of Dione's friends?" said a squat, blue-skinned creature standing nearby. From an opening in the rocky wall another bag arced through the air, was caught by another of the blue creatures, who tossed it to the one talking to them, who tossed it to land atop the other.

"Uh, yeah," Yellow replied. "We're kinda new…what's in the bags?"

"Why, the ore you need to make the crystals that conduct the Fire of Truth."

"Are you sure you guys don't need it?" Yellow asked. "We'd hate to leave you without something so important."

The blue creature tilted his head at them. "You really are new. Vayon told us these weren't good for anything but amplifying the Fire." He caught another bag and threw into the growing pile.

"Stellarman!" a shrill female cry went up. Yellow and Black looked up to see Dione just before her shadow snapped forward and lashed at them with its claw-like fingernails. The two were knocked sprawling, smoke rising from their uniforms where they'd been hit. Dishadow loomed over them, the fanged grin contorting her ashen features showing she was glad to be out again.

Burn sighed. "Just the two? If you were going to show up you could at least give us a real fight."

"Happy to oblige!" A second later laser beams glanced off Burn's armor. Standing at the edge of the village was the rest of Stellarman, transformed and Switch Magnums trained on him.

"That's more like it," StellarBurn said in a grinning tone and charged at them, Dishadow right behind him. The Truthbringer slithered underneath Yellow and Black just as they got to their feet then suddenly erupted into a roaring geyser that blew them in front of the cave the locals had been retrieving the bags from before.

"What is that thing?!" Yellow groaned as he got to his feet. The Truthbringer assumed its humanoid form, clutching its watery head in despair.

"I am the tears of the despondent, the forsaken," it said in a feminine-sounding voice. "I am anguish. I am destitution. I am Prox Sorrow." It suddenly formed into a wave and engulfed them.

Red swung his most powerful punch at Burn's chest with his Clash Knuckle, but Burn easily caught it with one hand. Rose kicked their opponent in the back, and he casually batted her aside with his other hand. Pink and Blue nimbly dodged Dishadow's sweeping blows, landing flying kicks and punches to her head as they did, but she didn't even seem to notice.

"She's never been this tough before," Blue gasped as she barely avoided Dishadow's nails once again.

"Maybe it's not her," Pink said as she threw the Arc Blader with all her might at Dishadow, who just laughed and melted into the ground to avoid the attack. "They're splitting us up so we can't use concentrate our power on any one target."

"Go ahead and think that if it makes you feel better," Dishadow said with a laugh. She stabbed at Pink's face with her nails but Pink drew her Switch Magnum in sword form and desperately knocked Dishadow's arm away. A ribbon of blood ran down the doppelganger's arm. "You'll regret that, little girl!"

Dishadow attacked again, but Pink's ducked and jabbed her blade into Dishadow's torso. "Or maybe they're underestimating us," Pink said, sounding unusually proud of herself.

"I hope she's right," Red said to himself.

"She may be right about them, but I was always the strongest and they know it," Burn chuckled. "But you, you're still learning. Why did you take this job, anyway?"

"You're obsessed, you know that?" Red landed a spinning kick on Burn's shoulder that actually made his darker counterpart stagger, then slapped the wolf card into his Battle Dealer and raised one arm to ready his most powerful blow. "Heavy Fang Chop!"

Glowing with a red light that was almost blinding, Red's arm crashed into Burn's side before he had recovered. Burn staggered in the direction of the attack, but gave no indication he'd been hurt. Red chopped again but Burn suddenly raised his arm and blocked the attack on his forearm. Red yelled in pain and fell to the ground clutching his arm.

"Oh get up, I barely touched you," Burn scoffed.

"Thorn Sniper!" StellarRose said then fired in a steady burst at Burn who rolled behind one of the domes. Rose jumped to Red's side. "Daniel, what's wrong?!?"

"I…I think it's the card!" he gasped. Rose gouged the release button on Red's battle dealer and he fell limp as the wolf card settled onto the ground beside him.

"It's all right, Daniel. Everything's going to be all right now," Rose whispered and took a shot at Burn's head. He seemed to disappear out of the way then rematerialized right in front of her, then knocked her flat with his first punch.

Meanwhile the wave washed Yellow and Black into the cave mouth. A long shard of yellow crystal snapped off against Yellow's chest before they slammed into the far wall. The Truthbringer reformed and cupped its flowing cheek.

They were in a large cavern with bright yellow hunks of crystal protruding haphazardly from every surface. "Drown! Drown in the ocean of tears!" Prox Sorrow expanded into a tidal wave again but Black's whip was in his hand. With a deft swing he wrapped it around the tip of a crystal sticking down from the ceiling. He hooked one arm under Yellow's and pressed a butt on the grip of his weapon that reeled them out of harm's way. For the moment. The wave crashed against every corner of the cave, then started to boil upward to them.

"Drown in my tears!" Prox Sorrow cried, literally cried.

"What do we do?" Yellow asked. Black was surprised to hear an unmistakable touch of anxiety.

"Cut off a long piece of the crystal! Hurry!" Black replied. Awkwardly Yellow upholstered his Switch Magnum, extended then blade, then swung it hard at the crystal they were hanging from. A shard fell off and dropped into his other hand.

"Now what?"

"See if you can spot a gold sparkle near the middle." "What??"

"Just do it! I'm losing my grip!"

Yellow looked down, desperately sweeping his eyes back and forth in search of a gold sparkle. Just as the water was starting to lick at his toes did he see a small glimmer a ways away. Quickly Yellow threw the crystal at it with all his might. It plopped into the water and vanished from sight, but a second later a shrill whine filled the air and the water started to ripple and churn. After a second he realized the noise was a scream.

All of a sudden there was a hiss and steam covered their visors. Yellow wiped the condensation away to see what was happening and could dimly make out that the water was receding. Within a minute the only sign that Prox Sorrow had ever been there was a thin layer of moisture coating the cave. Black uncoiled the Stellash and they dropped to the ground.

"What happened to the monster?" Yellow asked with a mixture of confusion and relief.

"I saw that sparkle before, and I figured that was the source of whatever was keeping it together," Black explained. "When you got it with the crystal that made the power go crazy and it killed the monster."

"That's not all it did. Look!" Yellow said. All over the cave the yellow crystals were starting to crack, then crumble into piles of yellow dust.

"The overload that killed the monster must've disrupted the crystals too…" Black mused.

"Blastfire!" StellarBurn bellowed. The fireball jumped from his fist and exploded in Stellarman's midst, blowing them off the ground. Anguished cries filled the air, and only redoubled when Dishadow flew forward and bashed them back to the ground. She flashed her fanged grin as she hovered over StellarPink for a second, then stabbed her nails into Pink's stomach with all her strength.

"Maybe I ought to let her out more often," Dione said and shook her head at her likeness's brutality.

"Maybe you ought to stop exploiting Smurfs," Yellow said as he emerged from the cave, his right fist clenched. "Then again, you don't really have much of a choice."

"What are you driveling about?" Dishadow grunted.

Yellow opened his fist revealing a handful of yellow dust. It was there for a only a second before it vanished, leaving nothing but a yellow smear on the palm of his glove. "Every single crystal in there is like that by now."

"What?!" Dione sputtered. "Dishadow, check it out!"

"Of course," Dishadow said with a bow and whisked into the cave.

Burn shook his head. "No reason this trip should be a total loss," he said and dialed into his Conflicter.

"Try it buddy," Red chortled and loaded a card. StellarBurn growled but before he could attack the Supernova cannon flashed into being and the five warriors each seized their grip on the weapon.

"Raging Firestorm!" Burn projected a curtain of flame from his outstretched hands. As he did Red pulled back on the Supernova's main trigger and a beam of concentrated Starlight that pushed against the curtain. For tense minutes the energies struggled back and forth, with Red clenching his teeth as his arms glowed painfully with the Starlight he was channeling into the blast. Finally there was a blinding flash that hurled them all the to the ground.

"It's empty!" Dishadow's voice hissed. "There are no more crystals!"

"Sounds like our cue to disappear," Pink whispered.

"What? No!" Yellow protested.

"We're getting out of here _now_," Rose hissed. "They don't have what they came for. Do you want to stick around and have Kyle try to get even with you?"

Burn pushed himself off the ground. He looked back and forth, but there was no one around except Dione and her Goth sister, locked in a frantic debate. The blue people had retreated to their homes when the battle broke out. Stellarman was gone as well.

He slammed a fist on the ground, sending up a cloud of green sand. "Damn!"

* * *

The three sacks fell to floor at Vayon's fee with a clatter. For the first time since he'd empowered her he saw Vayon drop to the floor on her knees.

"This is all your retrieved, then."

"The entire supply was wiped out," Dione said. "I take responsibility for what happened." Vayon turned his back and walked to the window overlooking Haven. "How are the Risen doing?"

"Only superficial injuries. Stellarman continues to go easy on them."

"It's just as well," Vayon said. "We'll need them to seek out another source of ore."

"I'll see to more expeditions at once," Dione said and floated toward the door.

"And stop lending supplies to that village while you're at it," Vayon said, not turning around.

Dione started. "Sir?"

"Our goal is to save _this_ world, Dione. Even I can't make every world in the macrocosmos my personal concern. If they're of no further use they can fend for themselves as they did before. Perhaps we can help them as well someday."

"As you say, sir."

"Dione?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Is it wrong for a man to think of his own world first?"

"No," Dione said with a familiarity she alone had with Vayon. "It it why Proxordo was born, was it not?"

Knowing he wouldn't reply she drifted out the door.

* * *

Far above, a ray of blazing white light shot toward Earth. As it neared the brown and blue planet it arced off its original trajectory and screamed toward the insignificant city of Cape Lombard, Florida…

Writer's note: The next installment of Stellarman might be a little while in coming since it's something kind of special, and opens the door on a new era for the story. Hope you look forward to it!


	23. The Movie: Sunken Odyssey

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman "The Movie": Sunken Odyssey

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Author's Note: Sorry there haven't been updates for a while, I was working on something kind of long and unusual for the series. Something meant to answer some questions and open a new era in the saga of Stellarman. Please enjoy, and if you don't, tell me why.

As Daniel watched the featureless white walls darkened and formed into stunted trees with masses of scraggly vines hanging from their branches. A thick mist hung in the air, hiding the details of his surroundings, but in the distance he could hear a wolf howling.

"You can cut it out, Thebes," he said.

"Fine, we'll skip straight to the fun part." A jet of flame engulfed one of the trees.

"Oh great, this guy," Daniel mumbled. "Cosmic Evolution!" Within seconds his crimson uniform had weaved itself around his body and his helmet closed around his head just before the mist cleared. Standing there, fists aflame, was StellarBurn.

He ran at Red, a fist aimed at his masked face. No snide banter, no pointless questions. Red knocked the fist away with all his might.

"Great Fang Chop!" Red yelled and slammed a glowing chop into Burn's midriff. Burn staggered away, making no sound, but Red didn't notice. Pain shot up his arm, a harsh glow surrounding the appendage. He cried out and collapsed. His uniform flickered away and so did the misty forest.

In seconds Daniel was surrounded by his teammates. Valentine pushed her way to his side and snapped a steel sheath around Daniel's arm. A pair of cords near the shoulder end snaked out and into her side.

"How bad is it?" Erica asked.

"Consistent with the other four, but more pronounced," the robot answered. "The bodies are showing definite signs of strain from channeling so much Starlight. Thanks for agreeing to do this, Daniel."

"You needed a definite example, how could I say no? In any case, what are we supposed to do about it?"

"I wish I knew what to tell you guys," Valentine said sadly. "Thebes said this would probably happen, but we haven't had the opportunity to really analyze these kinds of injuries before. So we don't know how to treat them yet…"

"Then we'll just have to hang in there until you do," Daniel said with a smile that only looked a little forced.

Suddenly alarms blared. "What is it, Val?" Aki asked.

The robot stood there for a moment, her eyes filled with bright shapes and streams of numbers as she received information. Finally her optics returned to their normal yellow hue.

"Something's approaching downtown, and coming in very fast."

"Let's go!" Daniel yelled. He disconnected himself from Valentine's scanner and tailed the others as they dashed out of the training room.

"Something radiating incredible power…" Valentine said weakly, not entirely sure they'd heard her.

* * *

It was business as usual in the concrete plaza outside City Hall. People in expensive suits came and went under the watchful eyes of security cameras. None of them noticed the pinprick of light that appeared in the sky. Not until a few minutes later when it grown to a blinding beacon coming closer every second. Cars on the street below screeched and plowed into each other as the light overwhelmed turned the whole world white.

A loud hum filled the air, and then as suddenly as it had come the white radiance was gone again. Standing in the center of the plaza, if standing was the right word, was a transparent image of a thin, dark-skinned woman. She wore flowing white robes and a tall headdress with three rings of blue, green and red stones around the circumference.

"StellarRose," she said in a soft voice. "We know you dwell in this city, and have sent this message to beg for your aid in our time of deepest need. Ikardaa faces certain destruction if you do not come and lend us your aid."

A beat passed, then she spoke again. "StellarRose. We know you dwell in this city, and have sent this message to beg-"

No one in earshot could hear the message after that. There was a tremendous *BOOM* as a giant mechanical dragon touched down in front of city hall. Draco. Ensconced in its head, of course, was StellarBurn. Rather than sitting in the pilot's seat, however, he was on his feet, his fingers and visor pressed against the canopy.

"So much power…it really must have come from another planet," he mused.

"Which is where you'll get going if you know what's good for you," said the familiar voice of StellarYellow. Striding down the street toward him were StellarSavage and Rose Valkyrie.

Burn laughed. "I know I'm incredible, but are you really more interested in fighting me than learning what this is all about? After all, the lady's asking for your babysitter, kids."

"He's trying to get our guard down," Yellow whispered to the others.

"I don't need tricks to win a fight with you, Cliff," Burn said in that smirking tone of his. Draco backed away from the plaza, allowing the other mecha to approach. As Rose Valkyrie got near the woman's image, suddenly it expanded outward into a glistening ring that surrounded the three mecha. The world became white.

By the time they could see again, they were no longer outside city hall. Around them were round stone towers and stone boxes inscribed with alien symbols. Stranger, however, was that beyond the unfamiliar skyline was a large hemisphere emitting a warm yet soft yellow glow.

"Guys?" Yellow asked.

"What?" Blue asked right back.

"Am I crazy or does that look more like a ceiling than a sky?"

Indeed the yellow surface high above even the heads of the Ptolemic Titans seemed to arc like a vaulted ceiling. The fact that they could make out pockmarks clinched Yellow's suspicions.

"StellarRose!" a voice called from ground level. They looked down to glimpse the woman whose image they'd seen in the plaza running toward the enormous war machines. Completely substantial this time.

"Maybe she's got some answers. Let's go," Red said. They crowded into an elevator behind the cockpit and shot down to a hatch in StellarSavage's ankle. Rose, and to their surprise, Burn, had also disembarked and approached the robed woman. She looked startled to see them, but then the city shook and her expression became downright desperate.

Red stepped closer to her. "Who are you? What's going on here?"

"My name is R'kana," she explained breathlessly. "I was told to bring StellarRose to our aid because we're under attack-"

Right then a group of metallic men charged around a corner. For a second the seven thought they were Risen, but rather than the armor of Proxordo's soldiers they wore torn vests, pants and bandoliers. Their eyes were miniature yellow lamps in the sockets. Some had a mechanized weapon like a power saw or drill in place of a hand. The only thing they all had in common was a picture on the left shoulder showing a collection of chaotic swirls and a white one like a descending hammer on the other. Out in front was one with a sharp metal fin with dark opaque eyes.

"Level them, Raiders!" the finned one barked in a buzzing voice.

One screamed a berserker battlecry and they swarmed toward where Stellarman stood, but all of a sudden a fiery wave surged out and knocked them off their feet. The six and R'kana looked up in surprise as Burn rushed their nearest attacker and smashed him to a pile of crackling bits with the first punch.

"Never thought I'd be working this guy again," Yellow shook his head.

"Beta Card Set. Ursa. Arm Card Set. Grav-Hammer." Two of the robotic attackers attacked Yellow from opposite sides, each slashing him with a pair of dagger-hands. Or trying. Their blades grated against a green aura, the same aura that surrounded the hammer that was Yellow's trademark as he swung it in a circle and shattered them both. Then his arms went limp and his hammer clattered to the ground.

"Alpha Card Set. Lacerta." StellarBlue sprang out of the way of three oncoming robots and landed on a nearby wall. She nimbly scrambled to the top then jumped off, her scimitars appearing in her hands as she dropped. As soon as she was close enough she sliced in an inverted-V shaped cut, cutting through head of the one in the middle and bisecting the ones beside him at an angle. Then bolts of blue energy wracked her body and she landed in a heap in front of her dismembered victim.

A robot squealed as something unseen punched a hole in its torso. Another turned to see what was going on only for his head to go tumbling from its shoulders. Two on the other side of the clearing blazed away at the area in front, peppering their comrades' remains with laser bolts. Suddenly one was thrust back against a wall and impaled into it. The air in front of it shimmered and the Arc Blader appeared, one point driven through its abdomen. The other split in half down the middle and StellarPink appeared behind him, panting with the strain of her feat of invisibility but her Switch Magnum sword clutched with both hands and dripping with mechanical vital juices.

Raiders surrounded StellarBlack, cornering him against the side of a building. He loaded Monoceros's card and a ghostly unicorn formed underneath him, and his whip straightened into a shimmering lance. His body started to crackle with power even as he dug his heels into his mount's sides, but he had suffered far worse, and whispered, "Twilight Crusade." The unicorn charged, cutting through the Raiders with its horn and trampling others beneath its pounding hooves. Black himself skewered three with a thrust from his lance.

He ejected the card then coiled his whip around the last Raider before him. StellarBlack whirled the Raider into another trapped at the end StellarRoses's Thorn Capture. They smashed together and littered the ground with their body parts. "You seen Red?" Rose asked, kicking an arm away.

"He's taking on the leader, looks like," Black replied.

"The leader? With the shape he's in?" Rose exclaimed, looking every which way to find Red. Indeed, he was fighting against the Raiders' leader. Red jumped and drove a kick into the robot's head. It went down but rolled with the impact, landing in a crouch. The next second it was up in the air as Red's Clash Knuckle collided with its metal chin. It came crashing down at the top of a small flight of stairs Red charged up.

The Raider, although it seemed more than the flimsy machines the others had been fighting, suddenly head butted him with its cranial fin. Dazed, Red staggered backward and almost fellow down the steps. The Raider charged but Red grabbed it by the shoulders all of a sudden and they both fell in an arc that carried them past the stairs. The second they hit the ground Red heaved his opponent through the air. StellarBurn came shooting toward the robot with a powerful flying kick and cleaved its head off with his foot.

"Thanks," Red said as he got up and dusted himself off.

"Don't get any ideas," Burn grunted. "I want to know what's going on and killing those things got me closer to some answers."

"Speaking of, any of those things left?"

"Looks like we got 'em all boss man," Yellow said, hammer hoisted over one shoulder.

"Thank you," R'kana said breathlessly. "There are more of these everyday."

"What are they, and what's going on here? And of course, where is here?" Rose asked pointedly.

R'kana gathered her robes about her and started off down the street. "I concede you deserve explanations but this is not the place. Follow me, and don't worry about the mess."

Shooting Burn a sidelong glance, Red let his powers regress. Not even looking at Stellarman, Burn did the same. Without waiting for the rest of them, Kyle followed R'kana.

"Wait up, psycho," Cliff called as he flickered back to normal.

"Don't antagonize him," Caitlin whispered in irritation.

"I'm not. I always called him that, remember?"

Daniel dropped a hand onto Cliff's shoulder. "All the same, let's not make more enemies than we have to, okay?"

"Okay, okay…"

As they followed R'kana a plethora of strange creatures passed them going the other way. One looked more or less human, but with bright blue skin and a pointed, wrinkled head like a carrot. Another was a blob-like yellow thing with a single bulbous eye protruding from the top of its body and pushing itself forward on countless stubby legs. A seven-foot gray-feathered bird was beside them, and a number of others Stellarman didn't even have time to take in before the seven of them had rounded a bend and found themselves surrounded by half-devastated buildings. The roofs of many had fallen in and large cracks marked the walls, as if they'd been struck with blunt objects. Very large ones.

"Did the things we just busted up do this?" Aki inquired.

"And many more like them," R'kana explained.

A minute later they arrived outside a tall, cube-shaped building made out of a dark blue rock. There were no signs of impact on the sides and doors like the other buildings they'd seen.

"Welcome to the archive. Please step inside," R'kana said. They filed inside the building, R'kana bringing up the rear to shut the heavy doors behind them once they were all inside. Strewn around the room were dozens of crystal spheres suspended from cables running up into the darkness of the ceiling.

"Now we're gonna hear about who we were just fighting?" Cliff asked.

"In a minute," R'kana said. She led them underneath a sphere, arranging them in a circle with herself in the center. The sphere glowed a soft pink. "I was instructed to provide you with other information first if there was a lull in the attacks. You have all wondered at some point why you have the abilities you do, I would assume?"

"Once or twice," Bohdi supplied.

"Then I shall endeavor to explain."

Slowly the sight of the others began to fade from their sight. Instead they saw the depths of space, with an endless field of stars against a black backdrop. A current of cosmic dust drifted by.

But as they watched a red haze formed against the stars and slowly solidified into a humanoid shape. His body was a deep crimson and regal wing-like formations hung from his back. His face was blank but for two blue eyes that radiated strength, but held in check. Other beings soon formed beside him. Orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, black and white.

Aki spluttered. "That's-" she started to say, but fell silent when she felt R'kana press a finger to her lips.

"You are all familiar with Starlight, that energy given off by celestial bodies. Planets, stars, quasars, pulsars….but have you ever wondered why you are able to draw upon that power? It is because you are descended from these beings you see before you. The Shakai.

"Thousands upon thousands of years ago, they coalesced from fields of Starlight. Eventually they found one another, and began a crusade against ignorance, barbarism, and evil across the galaxy."

The scene changed. The red and blue Shakai stood together in battle on the surface of a planet with a pink sky. A monster made of rock with six hammer-like fists lumbered toward them but the blue Shakai cupped her hands and battered it with a stream energy before her red comrade cut it to pieces with repeated blow from his two swords.

The scene shifted again, and the green and yellow Shakai were instructing a group of hairy simian creatures in plowing a field. Then the violet and pink Shakai were floating in space, pooling their powers into a huge energy burst that shattered an asteroid before it could collide with a planet below. Then white and black pooled their energies themselves, reigniting a dim star.

"Their deeds were legendary," R'kana said, sighing in admiration. "And they fought tirelessly for millennia. Unfortunately, even they were not quite immortal. As time wore on it became harder for them to summon the energies they had once used as naturally as you breathe in air. The Shakai returned to the Starlight, content to let their descendents chart their own course.

"They had mixed with races on hundreds of worlds during their lifetimes, and their genetic gift allowed their offspring to control Starlight as well. But over time their bloodline has thinned, and only a few now possess enough Shakai heritage to control Starlight at all, let alone to the degree you are all capable.

"The Shakai left behind tools for their descendents to continue their fight in their place, if need be. Most have not survived the passage of time, but you are no doubt familiar with several that have."

Out of the void a gray orb spun toward them. It was a planet, but a smooth and shiny silver ball hanging against the black canvas of space.

Kyle made a thoughtful sound, surprising the other six. "Is that Ikardaa?"

"Indeed. It is the refuge the Shakai created for themselves, an artificial world warmed by an internal sun, and after they left its doors were opened to races that had no home. And now it is under attack."

Ikardaa flew up at them but just as they got the urge to flinch they had passed through the planet's glistening surface and were overlooking the city. They could see the blue building where R'kana had taken them, surrounded by the half-collapsed shells of buildings they'd seen on the way over.

Still they traveled on, until they were above the center of the city, which was taken up by a giant yellow hemisphere. Every few seconds it pulsed, like a giant golden heart. Their view of Ikardaa aligned itself so they were at the city and its artificial sun from the side, then descended, showing a network of tunnels like an enormous anthill. The tunnels plunged lower and lower until terminating at a huge metal vault.

"What's in there? And who wants it enough to attack you with a mechanized army?" asked Bohdi. "That's an expensive way to lay siege."

"Not with how easy they went down," Cliff interrupted.

"Quiet," Caitlin said.

"We are being assailed by the followers of Niilao and Anakarao, two demonic creatures beaten by the Shakai ages ago. They waged a campaign of destruction across dozens of worlds with the power of two infernal crowns, and the Shakai fought a running battle with them for years before finally managing to separate them from the crowns. Niilao and Anakaro were entombed on planets on opposite sides of the galaxy, and their crowns, indestructible even to the Shakai, were hidden as well. Niilao was buried in Ikardaa because the rays of its inner sun deplete his strength. For days now, Anakarao and those Raiders have been trying to fight their way to Niilao's resting place. We are unable to repel them, so we appeal to you, the legacy of the Shakai."

"Interesting," Kyle said, mostly to himself, and the view of Ikardaa's depths was gone. The light from the orb was gone. And in the blink of an eye, so was Kyle.

"Oh great…," Aki groaned.

Cliff folded his arms. "What do we do, new kid?"

"Let's get back and secure the Ptolemic Machines before we do anything else," Daniel ordered. "On the double."

* * *

There was a last, plaintive beep from the scanner and then it fell silent.

"I lost Myatt," said another of the distinctive Raiders adorned with a sharp fin on its head. He wore a blue vest over a chest plate marked by many dents and scars.

"What?" said the figure beside him in surprise as they inspected the ruins of buildings surrounding them. "This planet's defenders haven't got that kind of power. Maybe something's wrong with that tracker of yours."

"Myatt? It's Moxx, report in," the Raider said into his wrist. There was no reply. "I'm telling you, something's happened to him."

"Keep the Raiders searching for an entrance to the undercity…What in the name of the seven systems are _those?_" Moxx's companion pointed as Rose Valkyrie and StellarSavage came into view above the rooftops. Without waiting for an answer he took off, literally flying down the street. Shaking his head Moxx tapped a button on his wrist and the soles of his boots roared with jet propulsion coming to life. A second later he was

"Looks like Kyle took his dragon and went home. I'll never figure him out," Cliff said as they came in sight of their mecha.

"What do we need him for anyway?" Aki responded.

"We don't, but we're on some other planet and already we've made new enemies," Erica reminded her. "It'd be nice if we didn't have to worry about psycho kid swooping down on us when we're busy with these guys."

"I thought you and your mom didn't get along," Caitlin said.

Erica fixed her with a bemused expression. "What des that have to do with anything?"

"You sound so businesslike, is all," Caitlin said with a wry smile.

"Catie, stop smiling. It's creepy," Aki shivered.

"Why's that?" asked Daniel.

Aki walked and whispered into his ear, "She's like my cousin Koyomi. Yeah she's nice but when does she actually smile when she's not being evil or bitchy about something?"

"I'm not sure I've had enough contact with her to answer that."

"You! What _are_ you?" a harsh voice demanded. Its owner landed in front of them, and even Stellarman couldn't help recoiling a step. He was simply the most hideous thing any of them had ever seen.

He was roughly the same shape and size as a person, but there the resemblance ended. His body was covered in red, black, blue and purple swirls. His head looked like a jagged tree stump and was inclined at a sharp angle to his shoulders, and a mouth filled with fangs emerged from his otherwise featureless face, but tilted at an angle opposite to that of his head. His left arm brushed the ground while the right hung to his waist. Lodged in each of his fingertips was a tiny snapping mouth, and clutched in the hand of his distended arm was a simple silver crown with an ovular yellow jewel, like the one set with a red stone on his crooked brow.

"I say again, what you?"

"Cosmic Squadron Stellarman, at your service," Daniel answered.

"So you've come to defend this planet, have you? Then those things must be yours," he gestured awkwardly at the Ptolemic Titans with his distended arm. "Well, no longer!"

Cliff and Daniel threw themselves at him, but it was too late. The swirling colors on his body started to writhe around freely of their placement on his twisted body. The jewel on his crown flared. Then the eyes of Rose Valkyrie and StellarSavage turned the same forboding red of the jewel. Then Rose Valkyrie lifted its lance and chopped through a row of houses. StellarSavage turned toward them with earthshaking steps, then the Hydra's heads on its shoulders swiveled forward and fired.

"Scatter!" they heard Daniel shout. The six ran and dove behind whatever they could find as the bolts exploded. When they looked out the thing, whatever he was, was gone. Their own robots, however, were still there, stomping and blasting anything in their way.

"Who was that guy?" Erica panted.

"Didn't you see the crowns? It was Anakaro," said Daniel. "And he's probably looking for a way underground so he can get his buddy out. New plan. Catie, Bohdi, Cliff, you guys go back to R'kana and find a way down. Get to that vault and don't let any of these invader guys inside. The rest of us will try to find Anakaro and stop him before he gets there."

"And the Ptolemic Machines?" asked Bohdi.

Daniel sighed. "It would take a lot of Starlight to regain control, and after this morning I don't know if we're in any shape to use that much. If we get rid of Anakarao it'll probably undo what he did, so get your butts back to where we left her before the robots smash it."

Reluctantly Bohdi nodded and dashed off the way they'd come with the Ashfords bringing up the rear. "So where do we start looking, master of the hunt?" Erica inquired.

"The Ptolemic Machines are working that way, so we go this way," Daniel replied. "Spread out and call in as soon as you see his shadow, okay?:

"Aye aye, mon capitan," Aki saluted, then was off.

Erica fixed Daniel with a gaze that looked equal parts anxious and irritated. "If you find him, don't get any ideas about fighting himself, got that?"

He brushed his fingertips against his right arm. "I won't, okay? Promise. Now get going, we don't have much time."

"Take care of yourself, Daniel," Erica said then disappeared into the alleys of Ikardaa.

* * *

The others had only run a short ways before they ran into a mob of aliens of all shapes and sizes swarming in the direction of the archive. StellarSavage opened fire on one side of the street, pelting the refugees with debris. Screams filled the air as three pink bird creatures near the youths were smashed by a flying wall.

They ran for all they worth to the archive along with Ikaradaa's locals. R'kana stood at the door, urgently waving them inside as the roar of StellarSavage's bolts filled the air again.

"Stellarman!" she called out, just barely audible over the chaos.

"R'kana, we need access to the tunnels so we can cut off Anakarao," Bohdi gasped.

"I can't do that," she screamed to be heard. "If we open the entrances Anakarao can get down there too!"

"You really think he'll have any trouble finding a way down?" Cliff retorted. "StellarSavage'll blast a hundred ways in for him soon!"

"All right! Go two blocks that way and another to the right, there'll be an entrance left open for you."

Bohdi smiled despite their ordeal. "Thanks, R'kana. For everything. But will you be safe in there?"

"The archive is the most well-protected place on Ikardaa."

StellarSavage fired again, right at the archive this time, but the massive lasers were deflected away by a shimmering blue dome that faded from sight once it had done its job.

"Let's get going," Bohdi said and jumped off the steps off the archive, running off in the direction R'kana had given him. He turned to peer over his shoulder to see the dome deflect a swing from Rose Valkyrie's lance.

"How long do you think they can hold out?" Cliff panted.

Caitlin looked back doubtfully. "Not to brag, but not long. No way in hell."

They hurried on through the ruins until Bohdi spotted a ladder leading underground. At the bottom they hurried down a tunnel into the depths of Ikardaa. The lights dimmed for a second before regaining their previous intensity. There was no time to lose.

* * *

Aside from the rumbling in the distance as the Ptolemic Titans razed more of the alien city, everything was quiet. Erica didn't like it. That monster didn't look like the subtle type, so why was there no sign of him? No gibbering from the little mouths in his fingers, no trail from the longer arm as it dragged along the ground.

Secretly, she wondered what they'd do if they found him. He had taken control of the Ptolemic Machines, that meant he at least had power to rival theirs. The thing was using it probably didn't put damaging physical strain on him like it did her teammates.

Not to mention he didn't deplete his resources by sending his allies off on another errand.

A crack spanning the street widened at the other side, and feeling a hunch Erica snuck to the other side and ducked into the shadows. As she'd expected, the crack widened even more as it continued, enough so that someone might drop through into the ground. And if she wasn't very much mistaken, that was the tip of a metallic mohawk vanishing into the darkness.

Erica reached down for her Stellphone, but paused. If she called the others, they'd have to use all their power against Anakarao, and who knew if the others could survive another push. And did she even need the help? Wasn't she gifted with an affinity for Starlight beyond theirs, didn't she have the benefit of years more of training in a dozen different specialties? Wasn't she free of the strain plaguing her friends?

And after all, hadn't R'kana's call for help been addressed to her? Obviously the Ikardaans thought she could handle this by herself.

Erica nipped over to the opening and peering in she saw a carved tunnel with a pair of silhouettes vanishing around a corner. Perfect. Silently she dropped to the tunnel floor and crept forward, keeping to the ample shadows. The sound of Anakarao's arm dragging along the floor continued for a few minutes, then stopped.

She froze. Had they heard her? She leaned around the bend and saw Anakarao hold out the crown at arm's length as they stood in front of a fork in the tunnel. It quivered weakly downward when he held it to the left opening, then seemed ready to fly out of his hand as he moved it in front of the right. He shuffled in that direction with his fin-headed sidekick hurrying to keep up.

Erica realized she had no idea how far the tunnels actually went, and in any case it was probably in her best interests to stop the before they could go any farther. Stepping into the center of the tunnel she yelled, "Rose Nexus, Unlock!"

Anakarao grunted and turned as violet light filled the air, more in annoyance than awe. StellarRose didn't waste the small surprise her entrance had bought her and rushed past Anakarao's companion, stabbing her saber at the demon's head. He dodged at the last second and it grazed his head, sending dark blue ichor flying. Anakarao threw the crown to Moxx then launched a scintillating beam from the red jewel in his own headpiece, but Rose ducked under it.

"Thorn Capture!" she called, her weapon's blade retracting into the hilt which expanded into a half-ring. She hurled it at Anakarao's torso but he swatted the weapon aside with a contemptuous snort. Suddenly she lunged at the demon and hit him hard in the stomach with her shoulder, knocking him on his back and then dashing over to where the Thorn had landed. Moxx saw what she was up to and ran for the Thorn himself, but suddenly Rose tripped, and looked back to see the hand of Anakarao's lengthened arm clamped around her ankle.

And the next thing she knew a red beam lanced from his crown and into her eyes. Her entire field of vision turned a burning red. Burning. Where the hell had he gone, anyway? And why in the hell was she thinking of that as brown and green squiggles of color crept through the red?

"Let's go, Moxx," Anakarao growled and lurched down the tunnel.

"Aren't we going to-" Moxx jerked a thumb toward StellarRose, but Anakarao cut him off with a toothy smile. At least, it looked like a smile. Then without a word the demon kept going, leaving StellarRose prone behind him. Casting a last glance at the violet warrior Moxx hurried after his master.

After a minute Rose got up and clutched the Thorn, then switched it to its rifle form. Then with a cackle she charged back the way she'd come, blazing away at the rock walls with her rifle.

* * *

"So…any idea what we do when we get to the bottom of this hole, guys?" Cliff said as he scanned the tunnels behind them for any sign of Anakarao.

"Why Cliff, you're not convinced we'll just smash him the minute he shows his slanted face?" Caitlin asked wryly.

"Look, if it was just the new kid, that'd be one thing. But all of us were feeling it back there. Don't try to pretend you weren't."

"We did, Cliff, we did," Bohdi replied. "But you're not saying we should give up, are you?"

"Hell no. We're a little past that point."

They kept going in silence, hurrying down ladders and stairs wherever they came across them. A few times Bohdi tried to raise the others on his Stellphone, but whether it was being so far underground or the chaos the Ptolemic Machines were causing on the surface he never managed to get through.

As they descended one flight of stairs, however, they weren't met by another stone hallway like the others they'd passed through. Instead a light blue mist wreathed the floor and walls. The air had a tingle as they breathed it in, and yet Cliff felt himself growing drowsier with each breath.

"What is this stuff?" Cliff asked of nobody particular.

Bohdi started to open his mouth to answer but that only let a sudden gust blow a gob of blue mist into his mouth. The mist thickened, turning everything blue, and for a second he thought he saw a faceless, wrinkled creature, then a minute later the fog dissipated. When it was gone so were the Shakai, and the tunnel where they had been. Instead they were in front a metal wall that reached to the ceiling of the cavern. The only way in was a corridor on the other side of the massive but empty room.

"Guess this is where whatshisname is buried," Cliff said. "What now?"

"We look for good places to launch an ambush, and wait," Bohdi said.

"Two of my favorite things," Cliff said under his breath.

* * *

After a minute Aki came dashing up to the gaping orifice in the ground where Daniel was standing. Over the distant roar of StellarSavage crushing a house and her own panting she heard sporadic bursts of gunfire from below.

"That sounds kind of like Erica's gun," she noted. "Weren't we supposed to wait for each other if we found those guys, though?" "Guess Erica couldn't," Daniel, a dark expression on his face. He jumped down the hole and Aki right behind him. Immediately they roll behind a corner as a salvo of glowing purple projectiles struck the wall behind them. Running toward them, cackling like a loon, was StellarRose. Her visor was the red the Ptolemic Titans' eyes had turned and her gun was trained on them.

"Cosmic Evolution!" they both yelled. A translucent disc with a star in the center erupted from each of their rings then flowed backward over them, forming their battle suits. Just in time as more shots filled the air. Red immediately loaded the card for his Clash Knuckle and raised it to deflect them.

StellarRed let out a yell and charged Rose, batting her rifle away then backhanding her to the floor. Just as quickly she sweep kicked him, knocking Red's feet out from under him. Blue launched herself at Rose in a flying kick but Rose lunged and landed a punch on her solar plexus that knocked Blue against the ceiling.

"Switch Magnum!" A beam grazed Rose's shoulder but she was unfazed and launched a spin-kick that slammed into Red's shoulder and hurled him into the wall. With a quaking hand he withdrew his wolf card, unsure if it would give him the power to purge the force controlling her, and if he could even withstand the strain to use it.

Blue attacked, slashing and stabbing with her scimitars but Rose was too fast, dodging around the blades and flattening Blue with a vicious chop to the neck. She turned and charged toward Red, who did something that surprised all of three of them.

"If you're gonna kill me, let me make it easy on you." He leaned his head to one side, exposing his neck.

"Daniel, don't!" Blue called, but Rose stopped in her tracks. Her visor turned its usual black.

"Guys?" she asked hesitantly. "What did I…you were offering to let me kill you?"

"Would you actually do it if it came to that?"

"No," Rose replied without the slightest hesitation. "Were you banking on that or something?"

"I don't know. I just acted," Red said. "I didn't think pushing my powers would do anything, so I guess I thought a shock to your system would do it." "But I-"

"You didn't call in like you were supposed to," Red said. "And if you want to make up for it, let's find Anakarao before it's too late."

"Maybe you'd like some help," said a voice from back the way they'd come. It was Kyle, but he had his arms up in front of him. In the blink of an eye StellarBlue was behind him, her swords held in an x with his head between the blades. Kyle smirked. "When did I break your heart?"

"Where did you go, huh?" Rose asked, leaning her rifle on one shoulder but looking ready to bring into play again at the first provocation.

"If you must know I decided to see just how well Draco's heat shields worked and went diving into their little sun. I got bored so I went looking for you guys. You have no idea how disappointed I was when I found out that wasn't you weren't piloting your robots."

"Okay, maybe you're only deranged," Rose replied.

"You have a boyfriend?" Kyle leered.

"I oughta just close these swords," Blue growled. "I've been wanting to for a long time."

"Go ahead and try," Kyle said in amusement.

"Simmer down, all of you," Red said, letting his suit fade again. "I've fought you a couple times but for all the power you're supposed to have I'm still here."

"You haven't answered my question yet. What kind of archenemy would I be if I just killed you?" Kyle explained.

Daniel laughed. "You're a moron. But we're wasting time so if you want to help us fight demons, come on. I've got my eye on you, though."

Kyle grimaced at the slight, but followed. Warily, Aki and Erica reverted as well to save their strength for the battle to come. If they managed to catch up at all.

"You know you're giving me a perfect opportunity to stick a knife in your back walking ahead of me like that, Daniel," Kyle observed.

"You think I'm really dumb to give you that shot if I thought you'd take it?" Daniel answered without turning around.

"Just giving you fair warning, Kyle," Erica said ominously, "but I'll break your neck if I see you do anything funny." "Guys?" Aki interrupted.

"What is it?" Kyle asked.

"When did all this fog start coming off the floor?"

It wasn't just the floor, the entire tunnel was suddenly filled with a thick blue fog. Within seconds they were engulfed by a wall of roiling blue tendrils, unable to see even an inch in front of themselves.

"Somebody grab Kyle!" Erica yelled, then did it herself.

"As if I'd run away when I have my three best friends in the whole world with me."

"Just link hands and keep moving," Daniel ordered. They stumbled through the fog, Erica's hand clamped around Kyle's arm like a steel band. Daniel bumped into a few walls as he led the way, but after a minute the fog started to thin until they could see a pair of silhouettes approaching a sealed archway ahead of them. One of them sporting an arm that reached to the floor.

Anakarao stopped in front of the doors. The yellow jewel in the crown he carried throbbed audibly. Its owner was near. The red jewel in his own crown pulsed, and the door blocking his way creaked as it started to twist inward, like water being sucked a drain. A horrible grinding whine filled the air as the doors were crushed into a shapeless mass on the floor.

"This is…this is finally it," Anakarao growled as he observed the wall at the end of the chamber. The red jewel pulsed again and a beam lanced toward the metal wall. It groaned as his powers tried to warp the only thing separating him from his partner of ages past. Small cracks began to appear at the edges.

"They underestimated me, Moxx. Always did. This barrier of theirs is no different."

"I still don't understand how you can do all these things," the robot watched in awe.

"The Shakai thought I created chaotic force. I simply absorb order. Like the forces that keep metal as one solid piece."

All at once a blazing blue beam shot from the shadows and struck the jewel in his crown. Anakarao gasped in surprise but then another shot out and hit the jewel as well. Then a third. Bohdi, Caitlin and Cliff stepped from out cracks and crevices in the walls, Switch Magnums in hand. Continuously lasers fired, and Anakarao roared in pain. The metal groaning stopped, but a compartment popped out of Moxx's chest with three vertical tubes within it. The middle was empty, but the adjacent tubes ejected small metal figurines, each with a metal fin on its head like his own.

He pressed a button the back of each, then jumped back as they started to shake. There was a flash and standing before him were two other robots like himself. One was thin with scythe blades instead of hands, the other had a feminine shape and a convex formation in its mouth like an amplifier. "Slez, Medya, let's help out the boss, shall we?"

Slez jumped at Bohdi, slicing into one leg with his bladed hand and sending Bohdi to his knees with a yelp. The other blade lashed out and send Bohdi's gun spinning out of his hand. Caitlin gasped as Medya charged and aimed her gun at the attacking robot instead. The beam sliced a sliver off Medya's shoulder but she rammed her other shoulder into Caitlin's stomach, knocking her flat on her back.

Cliff desperately kept his gun focused on Anakarao's crown even as Moxx stalked closer, metal fists clenched. Moxx charged suddenly, trying to head butt Cliff with his fin. Cliff dodged, changed his Switch Magnum to sword form and brought it back for a powerful slash. Moxx exhaled a thick purple gas from his mouth and Cliff dodged back to keep from inhaling any of the noxious stuff, but Moxx charged through it, kicked the sword from his hand, and knocked Cliff to the floor with a punch to his temple.

"Well done, Moxx," Anakarao said and hauled himself back to his feet.

"Weren't there more above?" Moxx asked.

"What do ya know, they can count," came a voice from the entrance. Medya turned and the amplifier in her mouth erupted with an ear-shattering sonic pulse that exploded against the entrance to the chamber. A fusillade of dust was forced back toward them from the blast. Anakarao grunted in frustration and with seconds the dust had twisted together into numerous clots that fell to the floor.

Across the room were seven youths, each in a fighting stance. "Step back or we'll have to hurt you, pal," Daniel said, actually sounding like he believed he could do it.

Anakarao snorted in annoyance. "Your robots are mine now, you're no threat to me."

"Let's put that to the test, huh?" Erica retorted.

"Yeah, let's," Cliff cracked his knuckles. Kyle opened his Conflicter.

"Get them," Anakarao said dismissively. Medya launched another sonic pulse but Stellarman called out.

"Cosmic Evolution!"

"Rose Nexus, Unlock!"

"Burn UP!"

The room was filled with dazzling light. Medya's attack disintegrated in mid-air. Then the light was gone, and the seven stood before their enemies clad once again in their dazzling battle suits.

"Fighting to create a brighter world! Star of Hope, StellarPink!"

"Defending the helpless! Star of Strength, StellarYellow!"

"Making my own path! Star of Freedom, StellarBlue!"

"Tempered by a thousand hardships! Star of Discipline, StellarBlack!"

"Facing the unknown without falter! Star of Courage, StellarRed!"

"This flower has hidden thorns. Blooming salvation, StellarRose!"

"Consuming all opposition. StellarBurn."

"With the power of the heavens to protect the universe," Red began.

"COSMIC SQUADRON STELLARMAN!" all seven called together.

"Attack!" Anakarao commanded. His crown flashed and the wall creaked, the cracks in it lengthening. Red rushed toward Anakarao, hoping to finish one menace before he had to worry about another.

"Where do you think you're going?" Burn called and ran after him, Rose right behind. They vaulted over the surprised robots right before the rest of Stellarman crashed into them to keep them busy.

"Keep him away from the wall!" Red yelled as he slammed the Clash Knuckle into Anakarao's face.

"It's too late! Any minute Niilao will be freed!" the demon snarled. His crown flashed again and a beam struck Red in the chest. The effect was instantaneous. His visioon was covered with nightmarish faces and shapes. He was no longer aware of the cave, or his mission to stop Anakarao. He clenched a fist, feeling the pain of his powers rising but not caring. All he knew was the urge to attack, destroy, anything in his way…

"Daniel!" Rose screamed and blazed away at Anakarao with her rifle. He turned and fired at her next but she vaulted over the shot as Burn landed a flaming punch on the demon's twisted jaw.

All of a sudden an icy sensation washed over Red's body, wiping away the screaming pain of calling upon his powers. As he watched Burn and Rose duck and weave through Anakarao's blasts a transparent figure appeared before him. Its body was entirely red with two wing-like extensions hanging from the shoulders, and what appeared to be a sword hilt made of some pearl-like material protruded from beneath each.

It was the red Shakai.

"Daniel, here our presence is still strong enough that we may give you some aid. Summon all your strength, your body will not rebel," a majestic voice said in his head. Obligingly, Daniel produced the wolf card and pressed it into his Battle Dealer.

Black cracked his whip at Moxx but it glanced off the robot's armor without so much as a mark. He was reluctant to use one of his cards to boost his powers, they all were. They wouldn't be doing Ikardaa much of a favor if they killed put themselves out of action by straining their powers, but Anakarao and his flunkies were like nothing they'd ever fought. Did they dare worry about such a thing?

Moxx spewed purple gas again and Black tried to jump away but Moxx's hand shot out on a chain, grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him into the choking mist.

Yellow slammed the Grav-Hammer down at Slez but his opponent was too quick and it only crushed the rocky floor. Slez then slashed with a scythe-hand, digging into Yellow's chest. Pink threw the Arc Blader with all her might but again Slez was too fast and ducked, the boomerang only clipping his fin. She drew and fired her Switch Magnum but Slez angled one of his blades and the laser bounced back, clipping Pink with her own shot.

Medya fired a steady sonic blast at Blue, who ran for all she was worth but was blown off her feet by the sonic wave. She slammed into the wall and slumped to the floor. With quivering hands she threw one of her scimitars at Medya, who almost seemed to sneer as she deflected it with a mild sonic pulse.

As for Anakarao and his opponents, Rose and Burn circled the team, firing off rifle blasts and fireballs to keep him off-balance. For all their power their efforts were useless, as the blasts struck again and again without leaving a mark on his chaotically-colored hide.

"I'm done playing with you," he sighed and his crown flared brighter than ever. All of a sudden stony arms formed out of the floor in front of Rose and seized her by the arms. Burn jumped to avoid another patch of arms in front of him, shooting off another fireball that glanced off his enemy as he did, but as his feet hit the floor they started to sink into it! The arms holding Rose started press in, crushing her, while muddy hands formed out of the ground and pushed Burn down into the mire beneath him.

Paying the scene hardly any mind at all, Anakarao threw the crown he'd been carrying all that time into a wide crack in the metal wall. Yellow light spilled from the gaps.

"Heavy Fang Chop!" Red yelled, seeming to appear out of nowhere beside Anakarao. A blade of Starlight protruded from the end of his gauntlet and severed Anakarao's distended arm before biting into the demon's side.

"Use your cards, guys!" he yelled over Anakarao's howl of pain. "It'll be okay!"

"Is he nuts?" Yellow grunted.

"It's not like we're getting anywhere with what we're doing now," Pink retorted. Already her dolphin card was in one hand, then it was in her Battle Dealer.

"Beta Card Set. Delphinus."

"Beta Card Set. Monoceros."

"Beta Card Set. Corvus."

"Beta Card Set. Ursa."

Their Starlight started to rise as their cards took effect. Just as Red had told them, the hellish pain that had come with that power of late was absent. Behind them, images of majestic alien beings appeared. The yellow had darker armor plating cover his body, but the glint of his eyes was one of reserve. The pink n the other hand was slim, feminine, but her bearing was alert, as if ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Energy danced off the blue's arms. The black was stooped and wrinkled, but there was an intensity to those points of light that passed for eyes that froze the robots where they stood.

Then Stellarman launched themselves at Moxx and his underlings. Moxx reared back his head to spew gas but Black rode forward on the spectral unicorn and took the robot's head off with his lance. Medya fired off her sonic bombardment at Blue, who flew around and around the attack with indigo wings. When she was close enough Blue battered Medya with a flurry of kicks and punches until she was reduced to a pile of twisted wreckage.

Yellow lumbered toward Slez and grabbed him in a bone-crushing grip before he could nip away again. Pink ran then jumped at Slez, knifing through the air with her arms in front of her. Blue energy flowed from her hands and engulfed Slez as she made contact. At once he started to rust and took a jerky swipe at Pink, but Yellow kicked his legs out from under him and he crumbled into a rusty heap.

Rose kicked out, shattering the stone arms holding her, and Burn dragged himself out of the ground. Red slipped a card into his Battle Dealer as the others gathered beside them. "Arm Card Set. Supernova."

"Do you honestly think your powers are any match for death and chaos?" Anakarao roared.

"The Shakai did," StellarRed replied as their cannon appeared and the other four moved to support it. "That's good enough for me."

"And if he believes it, that's good enough for me," Blue added. Rose shot her a sidelong glance but only cocked her rifle.

"They're more fun than you are, so I'm saying yes too. Sorry," Burn shrugged.

"You are a fool!" Anakarao pointed a snapping finger at Burn.

"I've been called worse," Burn replied and started dialing into his Conflicter.

Anakarao screamed and a crimson wave passed from his crown. As it crossed the cavern cracks formed in the rock that spewed flames and brimstone clouds, floating faces contorted in terrible wails.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Burn scoffed. "They know me in Hell, buddy."

"Fire!" Red yelled at the top of his lungs. The Supernova roared to life and Rose squeezed the trigger of her gun.

"Raging Firestorm," StellarBurn said with undisguised relish. Flames flowed from his fingertips and twisted into a blazing tornado. The three barrages collided with Anakarao's wave and pushed through it. The next thing Anakarao knew the three attacks ripped into him. He gave a last roar and exploded.

"All right!" Yellow shouted at the blackened shell that wall that remained of Anakarao. Far above, StellarSavage threw punch after punch at the archive building, finally cracking through its barrier. R'kana and the aliens behind her shut their eyes to await the end. StellarSavage pulled back an arm for the blow that would smash the building but then the red glow faded from the robot's eyes. Its arms fell to its sides, inert.

Below, Red ran over to the metal wall and squeezed through one of the larger cracks. On the other side was a transparent shell connected to a large funnel in the ceiling from which flowed golden light onto the figure on his back inside. But the other crown was lodged in the side of the coffin, and it didn't take eagle eyes to see the evil, corpse-like yellow of the crown's light pushing back the vibrant golden rays coming through the funnel.

He ran to the crown and grabbed it to pull it free, but just as he reached out for the evil thing an explosion filled the room. He was hurled back into the cavern by the same force that shattered what was left of the wall. Red hit the ground at what felt like Mach 3, his suit burnt in ragged streaks.

"I wasn't fast enough," he choked.

"You okay, Daniel?" Yellow asked, gently propping him up.

"I'll live…"

"Doubtful, my young friend. Very, very doubtful," said a rattling voice. From out of the dust and debris came a scarecrow-thin creature with palid yellow skin. Its eyes were like tiny balls of hellfire, and on his liver-spotted head was the crown Anakarao had carried into the depths of the planet. He knelt by the remains of the demon, and casually deflected a shot from Yellow's Switch Magnum with his palm.

"So they got you, old friend?" asked Niilao. He passed a bony hand over Anakarao's brow and the crimson glow of his crown returned. "I've got one trick even the Shakai never know about, remember Niikarao?"

There was a blinding flash, and the sound of rocks crumbling. Yellow grabbed Red in a fireman's lift and fled with the others back into the tunnel they'd used to enter. Looking back, an enormous black-scaled, dragon-like creature with a pair of serpentine necks had filled the room. At the end of each was a shapeless, eyeless had with a gaping maw and wearing the crowns the demons had worn. Beams flashed from the crowns tearing a hole in the ceiling, and the beast started hauling itself to the surface.

"Looks like we're not done. Hey, where'd Kyle go?" asked Yellow.

"Never mind him, back to the Ptolemic Machines before that thing wrecks 'em," Red coughed.

"And where do you think you're going with all your new third degree burns?" Rose demanded.

"Spare me," Red grunted. "We've got a job to do, so let's do it." He crouched and leaped through the hole the monster had left. Niikarao had spotted the Ptolemic Titans and lumbered toward them but with another leap Stellarman was on StellarSavage's shoulder. They hurried inside and jumped into their seats just as one of the Niikarao's heads slammed into its chest.

Red jabbed the startup code into his console and in a heartbeat the cockpit hummed to life. The crown on the nearer head flashed and StellarSavage hurled itself out of the way, a row of houses taking the beam that had been meant for it.

StellarSavage jumped high and lunged at Niikarao with claws aimed at the closest crown. The head ducked and the other loosed a beam from its other crown the sent StellarSavage tumbling end over end to land a good half mile away.

"Final Ride!" Rose screamed as Rose Valkyrie blasted toward the monster, lance held high. It sliced into the left neck, but Niikarao loosed a point-blank barrage from both crowns. The robot bounced a few times then lay where it landed, spewing sparks.

"Holy crap-" Yellow started to say, but Red held up a hand.

"Stay with me, Cliff. The robot's already taken a really good hit."

"And it'll happen again if you try going up against that thing like you are," StellarBurn's voice came over their comlink. Draco swooped down and grabbed StellarSavage by the shoulders, then lifted it out of the way before Niikarao's next attack ripped into the area where it had been standing.

"So, Daniel, if that is your real name-" Burn started to offer.

"It's the closest you'll ever get to it."

"As I was saying, I've had an interesting day so I think I'll share a secret with my old buddies, Stellarman. When Vayon built me this much-cooler-than-yours robot, he did it with things he learned from that one. To cut to the chase, Draco was built with the intention of combining StellarSavage."

"Do we really want to let him do that?" Black whispered.

"He's been helpful so far today, and he's probably not thinking they'll let him switch to their side after all this, you know?"

"Maybe you're not as dumb as you look," Burn's voice came. "Shall I?"

"Do it," Red replied.

"Hope you know what you're doing, kid," Blue said.

"Me too," Red said back.

"Hellfire Cross," Burn said, and his dragon robot came apart. The sky over Ikardaa filled with light, then there was a terrific crash as something hit the ground.

And there it was, majestic and terrifying at once. Over StellarSavage's chest was an ornate gold and red breastplate with flared crests reaching to its shoulders, and off its shoulders hung Draco's wickedly sharp wings. Thick armor sheathed its arms and heavy boots girded its legs. Crowning the combination was a three-horned helmet. And in the cockpit, seated behind Red, was StellarBurn.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present…Inferno."

Niikarao immediately fired with both crowns but Inferno crossed its arms in front of itself. "Searing Shield," Burn commanded and a wall of flames sprang up between the combatants, absorbing the blasts then fading away, revealing Inferno charging up to the monster and slamming its metal fist into the right head that collided with the left. Niikarao lunged blindly forward trying to knock the robot off its feet, but met no resistance.

"Try again?" Yellow called from behind. Niikarao lurched around to face the robot just as Draco's wings affixed to its forearms, becoming blades. Inferno jumped over Niikarao and jabbed the blades into the monster's sides, spilling purple blood. It roared with both mouths, turned and blasted again but Inferno caught the twin shots on its blades then swung its arms downward and deflected them into the ground.

"So what else can this thing do?" Blue asked.

"You'll love this," Burn said smugly.

"Show us if you're so sure," Red challenged.

"My pleasure," Burn replied with all the confidence in the world. "Burn Driver!"

Niikarao's crowns glowed but Inferno's forearms spun, fire surrounding them and the jutting blades. Inferno pointed them at Niikarao and two columns of fire spewed right through Niikarao's heads. Its dragon-like body slumped to the ground then went up in a spectacular explosion of red and yellow light.

"Erica? Can you hear me?" Red called into the comlink, oblivious to the display.

"You don't have to yell right in my ear, you know. I can hear you fine."

"Sorry," Red apologized. "It's been a long day."

"Speak for yourself, I haven't had this much fun in ages," Burn countered.

"Is that Kyle in there with you? And what the hell happened to StellarSavage?"

"We'll tell you all about it," Pink said. "Later."

* * *

It was hours later but the artificial sun in the center of the city was as bright as ever. The many different people of Ikardaa had poured from wherever they'd been hiding after the explosions had stopped, and after some digging had found the two crowns. The jewels had gone black, but R'kana was prepared to call that a good sign.

"I'm not sure how, but you finally rid us of those two once and for all," she addressed the seven on the steps of the archive.

"We found some unexpected help," Bohdi replied.

"I wish we had more to offer than thanks for saving our planet, but with all the rebuilding…" she began but Kyle waved off her concerns.

"It was very educational, and you even threw in a monster to kill," he explained, surprising the rest of them with a pleasant smile that looked awfully genuine.

"Going to have a lot of thinking to do after we get back," Daniel added.

"We should probably get back," Caitlin prodded. "I bet you anything Proxordo saw us disappear."

R'kana dropped the lifeless crowns and nodded. "Thank you again for everything, Stellarman. If you board your machines I'll make the arrangements to have you sent home right away."

They walked back to the Ptolemic Titans in silence. Aki and Cliff shot Kyle a few wary glances but he looked straight ahead, hands in his pockets. He was the last to enter Inferno and sat there passively as the rest took their seats.

"Kyle?" Daniel said after a minute.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Don't worry, it won't happen again."

"Is everyone aboard?" R'kana asked over the comlink.

"Check," Cliff replied.

"And double-check," Erica affirmed.

"Thanks again R'kana, it's been a fun afternoon," Kyle leaned over Daniel's shoulder to say.

"I'm afraid the transit takes longer than you think."

"What?" Kyle asked, but the view of the city outside was already starting to blur into a haze of shifting colors. The colors bled into the rest of the cockpit, and then they were back in the middle of Cape Lombard.

"What the hell?" Cliff shrieked.

Half the buildings they could see before them were burnt with their roofs caved in. The sky was a baleful red color, and no matter where they looked the only signs of life were a few scraggly crows perched on the jagged walls.

There was a shock throughout the robot and a second later they could see Draco flying off into the distance. The five youths were too shocked at what they were seeing to care.

"Erica, are you seeing this too?" Daniel asked. There was no reply.

"Erica?"

Still nothing but dead air.

"Somebody bring up visual of Rose Valkyrie's cockpit," he barked, sounding more anxious than any of them had ever heard him.

Bohdi tapped a few buttons and a screen came to life with a feed from the other robot's cockpit.

There was no one in the pilot's seat.


	24. Phase 23: Decimation

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 23: Decimation

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Aki staggered out of StellarSavage's street-level hatch, eyes stinging with tears. What the hell happened? Where was everyone? Had Vayon obliterated the entire city while they were gone? Had the trip to Ikardaa been some kind of clever ruse to lure Stellarman away so he could destroy Cape Lombard? If so, why had he sent them back, and where was Erica?

More to the point, did she even care at the moment?

"Guys, back into StellarSavage. We're heading back to the Dome," Daniel ordered.

"What about Rose Valkyrie?" Caitlin pointed her thumb at the other robot.

"We'll have to leave it for now. Besides, there's nobody around to use it anyway."

"What if Proxordo comes back?" Aki protested. "Obviously they did all this."

"Anybody picking up a signal from home base?" Daniel asked.

"No," Cliff said irritably, turning up the white noise coming over his Stellphone.

"Then let's go see for ourselves," Daniel said. "I didn't save one planet to come home and find out I lost another."

* * *

StellarSavage trudged out of the city, or what was left of it, into the surrounding swampland. That at least was still there, but instead of a canopy of vibrant green trees they saw muddy brown leaves hanging on half-dead trees. No planes or birds fly past overhead as StellarSavage continued toward its destination, and no matter how many times they turned to inspect the ocean they couldn't see a single boat out on the water.

"What the hell happened?" Aki asked again to no one in particular.

"Let's wait til get to the Dome and see if there's anyone there who can answer that, okay?" Daniel said, placing his hand over hers.

"Thanks, kid," replied Aki, doing her best to smile.

"Guys? I'm getting something," Cliff interrupted. He twisted the volume dial on the comlink and the rest of them could hear it as well. Every few seconds a thin mechanical voice repeated the same three words over and over.

"Stellarman, come in…Stellarman, come in…"

"Valentine!" Bohdi gasped, a smile mixed with relief and the strain of the day appearing on his face.

"We read you, Valentine," Cliff said, all pretense of his tough guy presentation gone for the moment. "What's going on?"

"Cliff? Is that you? Is that really you?"

"It's me. I mean, it's us. What happened?" Cliff repeated.

"Head for the hangar bay. The doors should still open. Then we'll do our best to explain."

Cautiously, StellarSavage made its way to where the Ptolemic Machines had always been released. As the robot neared there was a labored grinding and two giant camouflaged doors slipped slowly backward, as if the mechanism hadn't been used in ages. The hangar beyond the doors was dark, which was more than a little unsettling. StellarSavage strode into the opening beyond, and orange emergency lights switched on. Someone pushed open a normal-sized door on the far side of the hangar and came running toward them. It was Valentine.

"What the hell's going on here?" Cliff asked as soon as they had debarked from StellarSavage. "Where is everybody?"

"Why don't you answer my questions first?" she replied, a bit of synthesized indignation to her words. "You guys just disappeared into thin air for…coming up on nine months! Nine months! Vayon destroyed the whole city! And how come it's only the five of you?"

Caitlin sighed. "It's a long story, Valentine, and to be perfectly honest I'm not sure how much of it I believe."

"Where's Commander Thebes?" Bohdi interrupted. "Where are all the technicians?"

Valentine heaved an electric sigh. "The SDA was created to support you. Support Stellarman. When there was no more Stellarman, most of them left to try to help their families or the other people screwed over by Proxordo. Only a few of them are still waiting for you, not enough to run the base…"

"What about Thebes?" Aki reminded her.

"She hasn't left her office in months, but maybe this will get her to come out. Let's go."

She led them through the base, sticking mainly to the stairs as most of the elevators were out of service. Eventually they arrived outside an official-looking door. Valentine knocked sharply.

"Go away," said a voice from within.

"Commander, the team's back."

There was a commotion from inside, a *SHUNK* as the lock was released, and the door squealed in protest as it was manually pulled open. Standing there in the doorway was a disheveled woman who looked a little like Maria Craice Thebes. Her dark hair was matted and her eyes bloodshot. The t-shirt and sweatpants she had on were rumpled as if she'd been wearing them for days.

"Where the hell's Erica?" she second after a second of sizing up the group with those bleary eyes.

"We don't know," Daniel said as gently as he knew how. "We left Rose Valkyrie back in town. We weren't sure what else to do with it."

Thebes looked at them without looking at them for what seemed like forever. "Come on kids, I think the coffee maker in the lounge still works. Why don't you start from the beginning?"

* * *

"Another planet, huh?" Thebes asked, looking at them with what looked kind of like incredulity, but after everything they had seen what was so hard to believe about travel to other planets?

"Does the word 'Shakai' mean anything to you, Thebes?" Daniel asked.

"Should it?"

He smacked the table in front of her. "Damn it Thebes, you've always known more than you've told us. If you know something about them, and I'm betting you do, I want it out in the open."

Commander Thebes laughed in his face. "Daniel, I'm touched you're still so serious about saving the world, but unless you picked up some kind of cure for your power-strain while you were gone, what does it matter? Our support network's gone, and it's not like you're the only team anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Cliff demanded.

"Valentine, show these kids the reports."

Dutifully, Valentine pointed the index finger on each hand at the wall. From each lanced a beam that, when they met, produced a hologram of a costumed team much like Stellarman kicking and blasting their way through a group of Risen. Each had long claws on their fingertips and the faces of roaring cats on their helmets.

"Is it just me or are all five of them women?" Caitlin asked.

"It's not just you," Thebes answered. "They call themselves Pride Squadron Felinger. They showed up a few months after you disappeared. They're not the only ones."

On cue, the scene of Felinger disappeared, to be replaced by another team, but all their suits were dazzling metallic colors. The one in gold wielded a long-bladed sword as he dueled Kamandetes only to be bowled over by blows from the black knight's bigger weapon. It changed again to show a giant robot with a dragon-like head futilely shooting lasers from its eyes at Vayon's flying city as it vanished into the distance.

"They put up a good fight, but Proxordo seems to get stronger everyday. They probably do, considering they've been putting up those giant crystals they tried to use to level the city that time," Thebes explained. "Sometimes the other squadrons destroy one, but Vayon's making more all the time. That's why the sky's red now. You know Mexico City? It's not there anymore."

"Then thanks for having us, Commander," Daniel said, then turned and walked away. A minute later Lupus loped out of the hangar, with StellarSavage's other pieces walking or flying off in other directions.

* * *

The umbrella of colors that surrounded Erica receded until she was somewhere she could understand again. It sure didn't look like anywhere in Cape Lombard she'd ever seen, and it certainly wasn't the cockpit of her robot.

She was on a balcony ringed by columns of a white stone. Below her were streets of the cubical buildings and round towers she'd seen on Ikardaa, and squinting she thought she could make out a dark blue box of stone that was probably the archive building.

"I suppose I should've restrained myself, but the decorations help to remind me of all the exotic things the that make up the universe."

"Who's there?" Erica said and spun around, instinct taking over. Hobbling toward her was a being with gray skin and wrinkles all over his featureless face. Featureless except for two glowing eyes. His back was bent with age, but there was still an intensity to his presence that froze Erica in her tracks Not out of fear, but to see what his intentions were.

"Hello, Erica. You've grown into quite a fine young specimen."

" 'Specimen'? Who are you supposed to be?"

He sighed regretfully. "I thought she might at least have told you, out of all of them. I suppose I always knew it would fall to me."

"What?"

"Why, I'm the father Maria never talked about, Erica. They called me Meghris, and as a name I suppose it suffices."

"You're…you're one of the Shakai, aren't you? R'kana said they all went back to the Starlight."

"They did. Not me," Meghris replied patiently. "And now that you're here, we can truly begin to make Ikardaa a place of tranquility an a storehouse of knowledge."

"Sorry, but I'm already on a mission."

"Are you?" Meghris asked incredulously. "I'm afraid I don't see any way for you to leave. And with this, the last of your weapon are removed from the equation." He held up Erica's rose pendant, then crushed it with one hand. Erica gasped.

"She even had you thinking this is what enabled your abilities," Meghris shook his head. "I should have brought you back here from the very beginning. Damn me and this thing I call a conscience."

Erica yelled and grabbed him by the shoulders, but Meghris grabbed her forearm and flipped her over his ancient head. She landed heavily, the wind squeezed from her lungs by the impact, and the next thing she felt was the head of Meghris's cane against her throat.

"You're more powerful than I ever was, but that only counts for so much against cold, hard experience, child," he said sternly, putting particular emphasis on the last word.

"God, I'm so _sick_ of being called that!" Violet light burst from her body and flung Meghris across the room.

Immediately he was up again and black power flowed from his hands, slithering through the violet. "What are you trying to do?" she screamed.

"Simply tearing away the last of the mask your mother gave you," he explained patiently. The black light covered Erica, sinking tiny ice-cold fingers into her flesh. Pulling. Tearing. At her clothes. At her hair. At her skin.

But instead of paralyzing pain like she'd expected she'd feel if she were ever skinned alive, she felt a chill. The blackness engulfing her receded, and Erica had changed.

She was completely bare, but her skin was the color of jasmine with slightly darker hair that fell to her knees. Her eyes were a glowing white like Meghris's.

"What the hell did you do to me?" Erica demanded, though she well knew the answer.

* * *

Vulpecula came a stop on the fringes of what had once been the Ashford's family estate. Most of the house was still standing. Most of it. The top floor had been charred away, and an especially dark spot in the wasteland that had once been the backyard was all that was left of the guest cottage.

Caitlin looked upward, hoping to catch a glimpse of Aquila circling overhead, but the sky was empty. In a way, she supposed, it was a blessing in disguise. At least she didn't see Draco or a flying Truthbringer cruising by looking for a fight.

Her relief faded as she grimaced and rubbed at her stinging forearms. Even piloting the Ptolemic Machines hurt. She couldn't possibly go into battle with it if even this hurt her.

Why had she come home, the question suddenly formed in her mind, and she realized she didn't know. There was no signs of life, no skeletal remains within the burnt wreckage that had been her home before she'd been yanked to the other side of the cosmos. She hadn't really expected to find her parents or any of their staff huddling amidst the rubble hoping she'd find her way back there. They probably assumed her dead amidst the devastation.

She wouldn't blame them.

With a flick of her wrist Caitlin lowered the boarding ramp, wanting to just get out and walk across her own planet for a while, even if it had become as alien as Ikardaa. She made her way around the house to an exceptionally dead tree on the corner of the property. Though the leaves had been seared or fallen off, still hanging from one high branch was an old wooden swing. Slowly, thoughtfully she took a seat on it and in a second was swinging gently forward and back.

If possible they sky was even more red than when they'd gotten back. Maybe that meant it was sunset, she didn't know. Her watch probably wasn't telling the right time anymore and she doubted there was a phone left in town she could use to call time and temperature. Honestly, who cared what time it was?

She'd been hoping to get away from Cape Lombard after high school. Get away from her family, Cliff, all the people who knew her as someone they could lean on. After the business with Proxordo had been settled, anyway. For a while there it had almost looked like they were getting somewhere. Then the Truthbringers came, and then…this.

All of a sudden Caitlin's Stellphone crackled. She reached down to switch it off, in no mood to put up with that going on the fritz too, but then an unfamiliar voice cut through the static.

"Pardon me, but are you by any chance StellarPink?"

"Who the hell wants to know?"

"Someone you inspired," came the reply. An airborne object appeared zooming closer above the decimated skyline. After Caitlin recognized it as a dragon and started to raise her ring, only to realize its armor plating was a dark pink in color rather than the blood red she was expecting. It landed beside Vulpecula and someone in a pink uniform with a dragon's face engraved around the darkened visor jumped out and ran toward her.

"Cosmic-"

"Catie, it's me!" the pink-clad figure called plaintively, then reached up and undid the helmet. Caitlin's arms fell to her sides, and then she laughed.

"Genny?"

All the stress that had been building up thanks to their powers failing and coming home to a war zone melted away as her old friend threw her arms around Caitlin's shoulders.

"I hate to be a downer, but for a while I didn't think you'd make it after you got covered in acid…"

"I'll show my scars sometime," Genny smiled.

"So you're in a team like mine now? I mean, the one I used to be in?"

"Yeah, this guy found out how to summon these five metal dragons after those monsters wrecked town. He came looking for people to control them and thought I was tough enough to have one. Wait a minute, what do you mean used to be in?"

"It's a long story, but it suddenly looks like I'll have a lot of time on my hands."

* * *

Rogyre Vayon sat in his isolated chamber in the tallest tower in Haven. The only sound was the crackling of the Fire of Truth as it whirled and flickered around him. The Fire rushed out from the tip of the spire and out of sight, whizzing across the ocean until it slammed into a pit near the coast of Brazil.

A huge crystal spire pushed out of the ground and within seconds it seemed to brush the sky.

Another spire. Another step closer to his ultimate goals. More than a few Risen had made the ultimate sacrifice to get him the ore that had become that crystal spire, but they knew their efforts would be remembered eternally once Proxordo finished carving out a new world.

Leaning heavily on his staff, Vayon limped out of his meditation chamber. It seemed like he never left anymore, whether he was creating a Truthbringer or energizing another spire prepared by his followers. He gazed out over Haven and the red skies beyond, the skies colored by spires like the one he'd just created.

An image appeared beside him, the blue-haired beauty that had been overseeing the day-to-day operations of his city while he saw to larger concerns. An easy look was on her porcelain features. "Sir…there's a dragon approaching Haven," Dione said.

"Dracon V taking another crack at us? Have Kamandetes get the Risen together."

"No, sir. It's not them, it's Burn."

Vayon looked straight at her. "Burn? Are you sure?"

Dione nodded. "We even called up the specs of his robot." Her projection looked away. "In fact, the east landing bay just opened by itself. Unless Dracon V found out our entry codes…"

"I'll be right there."

Despite his fatigue Vayon called upon the Fire and teleported himself to the eastern landing bay. Indeed, Draco had just touched down as he materialized again. A ramp descended from the mecha-dragon's neck, and StellarBurn swaggered down it.

"Glad you've decided to join us again, Kyle."

"Cut me some slack, I've been away. I was on the other side of the universe, in fact."

"You were what?"

"I got sucked to another planet with Stellarman. We fought some demons and as soon as we got back, bam, turns out it's months in the future."

"You didn't kill Stellarman while you were there?" Vayon demanded.

"Hey, I probably could've handled those demons myself, but I didn't know how to make the stupid transporter thing work, and if I didn't come back I wouldn't get to see your brave new world."

To his amusement, Burn was sure Vayon grunted in annoyance at his words. "The important thing is you're here now and can deal with the imitators that have sprung up while you were away."

"What imitators?"

"All kinds of other teams like Stellarman appeared while you were gone," Vayon sighed. "We thought you were one of them until we saw that was our dragon and not one of theirs."

"My dragon," Burn corrected him. "I said I'd help, the stuff's mine to keep, remember?"

"Regardless, even though they're not Stellarman I expect you to uphold your part of our bargain."

"Sure, sure," Burn yawned. "After I get some sleep on my own planet. That okay with you, boss?"

Without waiting for an answer, he disappeared. Dione drifted into the landing bay as if she'd been waiting just out of sight for Burn to take his leave.

"Master Vayon, if I may, why you let him get away with such behavior?" she asked. "He puts the others on edge."

"Sometimes sacrifices must be made, my dear. He's proven himself more than Stellarman's match, and now we have more than one Stellarman getting in our way."

"Are you going to send him against that other dragon team?"

"Tfft! Do you really think I'm that juvenile? No, send out that Truthbringer that got rid of that other group for us. What were they called?"

"Terraman, I believe," Dione answered.

"Yes, that was it. And let me know as soon as our erstwhile ally finishes his nap."

* * *

Genny's dragon sped up the coast for about an hour, and for some reason Caitlin didn't feel any push to try and catch up with her friend. There were plenty questions she could've asked, a dozen occurred to her in the first five minutes of the ride. Maybe she was still processing what had happened to her city, her _planet,_ while she was off saving someone else's.

For her part Genny seemed to respect her space and didn't ask why she was being so quiet. Caitlin found herself appreciating the quiet and Genny for being willing to supply it despite all the devastation. She was starting to doze off when she realized the dragon was descending. Peering over Genny's shoulder she saw two rows of mechanical dragons, four in total, amidst some devastated buildings. Genny pulled hers up alongside them. Immediately five teenagers seemed to appear from nowhere and surrounded them.

"Where have you been?" an athletic young man with black hair demanded.

"You didn't tell anyone you were leaving?" Caitlin asked.

Genny shrugged. "I spotted something big on the radar, too big to be a car and too small to be one of those Truthbringers. Besides, everybody else was asleep."

"You were on guard duty and you snuck off?"

Genny turned to regard Caitlin, her face decorated with a joking smile. "I thought you guys were back, and I was right, wasn't I?"

"I'm jealous of you."

Genny tilted her head. "What?"

"Get out of that dragon before I drag you out!" the boy outside yelled.

"Damn it, Alex! I'm coming!" Genny yelled over her shoulder and stomped a sigil on the floor. The ramp opened behind Caitlin's seat.

"Where did you go with my dragon?" Alex said and grabbed Genny by the arm as she emerged, not even noticing Caitlin behind her.

"It picked me, remember?" Genny retorted. "Besides, I was looking for some help." She motioned behind her.

Alex regarded Caitlin with curiosity rather than anger. "And who's this?"

"Well I…I used to be StellarPink," Caitlin explained, knowing she ought to keep the information to herself, but giving in to a pent-up urge to cut loose.

"Used to be?" asked another girl.

Caitlin shrugged. "It's a long story. Only of us still has powers that work, and she's not around anymore."

"That's a shame," Alex sighed. "We could use the help. Still, welcome to our little camp. Ancient Battle Force Dracon V at your service." He bowed.

"I must say, this is an honor," a voice with a metallic twang piped up. Standing there was a blue creature with a squat black dome for a head. In its torso was a circular hollow with an hourglass lodged in it.

Caitlin heard a chorus of unintelligible yells, and realized she was surrounded by a team of dragon-helmeted warriors. Alex, clad in red, hoisted a two-handed sword and was the first to charge the intruder, who merely laughed and gave the hourglass a spin…


	25. Phase 24: Resurrection

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 24: Resurrection

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Note: An information page with all kinds of awesome artwork of the characters and mecha is up now at Spectrum of Madness. Check it out.

Before Alex's sword could bite into the Truthbringer's shoulder the hourglass in his torso opened, emitting an explosive spray of sand. Caitlin ran and hurled herself out of its effective radius, her unprotected skin covered in red marks.

But as she looked up it didn't seem as if Dracon V's suits were doing much to protect them, either. They staggered back and forth letting out sounds of pain before falling to the ground, their battle suits fading away as they did.

"What did you do to them?" Caitlin yelled.

"Showed them how dangerous living in the past can be," the Truthbringer laughed. "That's why they named Prox Retro. Now they'll have to remember what life was like before they had special powers."

Caitlin looked down at her ring. Should she use it? She'd been hit by the same thing as the others, could she even evolve? And even if she could, could she put a fight against a Truthbringer all by herself?

"You know, I've never actually seen just how far I can push this…" Prox Retro said thoughtfully. "If I hit you all again maybe you'll turn into babies."

"Cosmic Evolution!" Caitlin yelled in reply. The familiar disc with Vulpecula's star at its center enveloped her, but the pain that had plagued her whenever she tried to channel Starlight didn't. Before the surprised Truthbringer had even registered that he had a new opponent StellarPink had laid him out with a one-two punch.

Awkwardly Prox Retro propped himself up on one elbow and spun his hourglass again. As a wave of sand erupted from the end but before it hit Pink she disappeared into thin air. A second later there was a soft crunching and a series of footprints appeared in the dust, leading over a hill.

He looked back over at the members of Dracon V, still flat on their backs from the full brunt of his reversion sand, and would've smirked if he'd been given a mouth. "They'll still be here in a minute…wait until Master Vayon hears I've finished off one of Stellarman!"

He took off in the direction of the footprints with long, thudding steps. In a second he was over the hill and went through a small pass between two low cliffs. The trail ended a short way in front of him, and StellarPink returned to visibility, kneeling in the sand and clutching one arm.

"What's the matter?" Prox Retro gloated. "Don't worry, one more hit and you won't even be able to remember what pain is."

"Or maybe you'll learn what pain really is," Pink retorted.

"What?"

There was a whistling sound overhead and then a large, dead tree on the top of one of the cliffs toppled onto Prox Retro, pinning the surprised monster beneath it. Pink held out her hand and caught the Arc Blader which turned visible again. She walked over and stabbed one point into the monster's chest as hard as she could. Prox Retro gasped in pain but Pink just twisted her weapon, widening the wound. Finally she yanked upward, slicing Prox Retro's head in half. The monster slumped groundward, and immediately the sensation of hot needles covered Pink's body. It was all she could do to will away her battle suit before she fell to her knees in pain. For real, this time.

With a sigh she peeled herself out of the sand and limped back to where they'd left Dracon V. As she came up a few were reverting back to normal from their own battle-ready selves. Alex looked up as he saw her return, a glint in his eyes that Caitlin hadn't seen too often but knew to mean respect.

"Our powers work again…either the monster was faking us out or you took care of him for us," he said.

Genny beamed and clapped her friend on the back. "She's always been good to have around."

Caitlin staggered. "Don't get used to it. I think when the monster shifted us back he just shifted me back to before my powers were killing me. They are again."

"All said, if Proxordo sent a monster we'd probably better be moving on before they find out he's dead and send another," Alex addressed the group. "Everybody up in the air."

The members of Dracon V split up and each ran for one of the parked dragons before climbing in. Genny jogged toward hers then turned and called over her shoulder. "Catie? Aren't you coming?"

Caitlin didn't answer.

* * *

Lupus loped between the burnt shells that had once been N. Armstrong University. Littered here and there were the forgotten corpses of a student or security guard who hadn't gotten out of the way quick enough from whatever had descended on the campus. As Daniel was about to get out, either to see if he could identify anyone or just to get a moment of relief from controlling Lupus, a huge flying shape zoomed past above and then wheeled around for another pass.

"Why are you guys following me?" he asked, annoyed.

"You think we got somewhere to go?" Cliff retorted.

"I thought you'd at least be following Bohdi. You got so much respect for him."

"I do," Cliff answered. "And that's why I gave him his space when he told me he wanted to be alone for a while."

"Cliff's right. About us having anyplace to go, anyway," Aki said, not quite calmly but without the energy that had marked nearly every sentenced Daniel had heard from her mouth. "I already checked my parents' place, it's been completely toasted. At least there weren't any bodies."

"And what about you, Cliff?" Daniel asked.

"Catie's doing that. I honestly don't think I care either way," he said simply.

"Were things really that bad at home?"

"Yes," Cliff replied with finality. "So where are you going?"

Daniel sighed and thought for a minute before he answered. "I was going to head up toward Georgia and see if it was just Cape Lombard, or if Vayon blew up everything. After that, I don't know. If you guys want I guess you can come too."

"There's no reason to stick around here," said Aki.

"For once we agree," Cliff added.

"Then let's go," Daniel said and pushed the throttle all the way forward. His arm ached but he ignored it with all his might. He had to see more. He had to know that those other teams that had appeared in their absence were managing something of a holdout against Proxordo. Certainly what he'd seen since arriving back on Earth didn't look like any Utopia he'd ever imagined.

Just above he could make out Aquila keeping pace with him, then something heavy landed on Lupus's back.

"The hell-"

"Hey, you guys have the fast ones. Cut me some slack," Aki said.

"It's kind of nice to cut loose with these things, even if it does hurt like blazes," Cliff gasped.

"Thrive on the pain, Cliff. Let it make you stronger," Daniel goaded him.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that to impress me!"

"Macho boy talk! Yawn!" Aki interrupted. "Do you guys even know where we're going?"

"Is one place really better than another at this point?" said Cliff. "Like…that place over there?" Aquila banked toward a collection of rectangular shapes on the horizon, obviously buildings, and Lupus leaned and turned as well. It only took him a second to see why Cliff had picked it. Striding among the outlines of buildings was a dark figure that loomed above even them.

"You realize if we try to fight like this, we could very well die just from trying," Daniel reminded him.

"Life isn't there for you to sit and watch, new kid," Cliff said with that familiar swagger of his.

"No…no it isn't," Daniel agreed, smiling a little despite himself.

"You two finally said something I can get behind," Aki said, and from her tone Daniel guessed that smirk of hers was back.

"I would've figured you were the one girl on the team who could talk to us neanderthals," Daniel replied, feeling himself loosening up and able to ignore the pain much more easily as instinct took over. Even if their powers were a strain, even if they did bicker and have their disagreements, it truly dawned on him for the first time that they were a team. They'd stuck it out this long as a unit, they'd do so until the bitter end, even as the world crumbled around them.

The Truthbringer spat a steady yellow beam from his mouth, tearing three houses to bits as the Ptolemic Machines pulled to a stop nearby. He turned toward them but the expression on the monstrous face lodged in his torso didn't change. His body was yellow but covered in plates of a brown chitin-like substance, and a row of spiky protuberances ran from the top of that face down his back. Speaking of his face it like a pudgy troll's with beady eyes, a pig-like nose and a cavernous mouth full of jagged teeth.

Aki recoiled. "What's that monster supposed to be?"

"Pissed?" Cliff ventured.

All at once the Truthbringer rolled itself into a ball and thundered toward them. The Ptolemic Machines scattered, the end of Lacerta's tail clipped off as it rumbled past. The Truthbringer rolled to its feet and as he did Aquila swooped down and clawed at its shoulders only to be batted aside like an insect. Daniel reached for the firing controls but as he pressed the button his arms seized up, sending a pathetic a flickering barrage of lasers spattered against the Truthbringer's back. With a lightning-fast movement he turned, slamming his foot into Lupus and knocking the robot wolf onto its back.

"Bas Eye!" Aki screamed to vent the pain of firing her own robot's weapon. Lacerta's eyes glowed and shot a pair of shimmering beams that penetrated a crack in the armor covering the Truthbringer's arm, making the appendage go limp. The Truthbringer grunted and reached out for Lacerta before Aki could work up the courage to ignore her pain and fire again, when a five-headed snake tackled him.

"Bohdi!" Cliff exclaimed.

There was no reply as the Truthbringer wrestled with Hydra and threw it away. Suddenly the tip of a shining blade jabbed through the monster's torso. A look of surprised crossed his face just before his body tumbled off the blade, which they could see was Monoceros's horn. The Truthbringer exploded as so many of Proxordo's freakish soldiers before him had.

"You okay, Bohdi?" Cliff called.

"If you wouldn't mind giving me a lift back to the Dome…I can't feel my arms."

"Sure man," Cliff sighed with unmistakable relief. "Maybe it's a good thing we left after all, though."

As the five Ptolemic Machines turned and headed back the way they'd come, small hunks of burnt debris were starting to crawl together…

* * *

As the Ptolemic Machines approached the entrance to Sol Dome's hangar a white and pink fox ran up and joined them.

"How's things at home?" Cliff asked.

"Nothing left. The yacht's gone, they probably tried to get away on that," Caitlin replied.

"Yeah, kind of expected that," Cliff said as the door opened and the robot brigade returned to their darkened storage space. Standing on the far side of the room, her eyes only glowing to life as they approached, was Valentine. She immediately jogged up as the first boarding ramp opened.

"You're back!" she shrieked.

"What were you doing there?" Bohdi asked, grimacing and rubbing his ears.

"Hoping you'd decide to come back. I had something I wanted to tell you before, but you seemed so distraught when you left I didn't want to add to your problems."

"Well what is it, Val?" Daniel asked with what patience his weary mind would allow.

"I…I…" She ground the toe of an artificial foot into the floor of the hangar. "I think I found a way to fix how your powers are hurting you."

"WHAT?"

"Don't get ahead of me!" Valentine cried defensively. "I think, that's all, and even if we went ahead with it, there would be side effects. That's a guarantee."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Cliff asked, folding his arms in a distinctly put out fashion.

"Because there are other teams out there now doing what you used to have to do by yourselves. Because you'd already done and risked more than we felt we should've asked of you. And because, like I said, the process won't be without side effects of its own. Side effects you may not survive."

Daniel turned to face the rest of the team. "Guys, I'd like to ask you all a question."

"What's that, kid?" Aki asked.

"Why'd we all decide to come back?"

"Because I'll be damned if I end up living on another blasted dirt ball like Chahi," said Bohdi.

"This isn't a problem that'll go away unless we make it go away," Cliff answered.

Caitlin shook her head, then said, "Because on this team my kid brother's the only one who expects me to hold their hand all the time." Cliff shot a slightly sour look, but said nothing.

"Aki?" Daniel prompted the last member, who'd been looking away the entire time. She didn't reply right away. Instead he sighed, shook her head, clutched her forehead for a minute then opened her mouth.

"Because you guys are the closest thing I ever hard to people who can understand me. Plus, what've I got left besides this team? My school's gone, my family's missing…my whole world just disappeared while we were on Ikardaa. I could leave to go looking for my family and everybody else, but if I stayed I'd be doing more good for other people. And honestly, I'd be able to deal with all this a lot better if I kept hanging around you guys."

Daniel smiled, and the expression spread to the others within seconds. "Val, I think we're sticking around. And I think that also means we're willing to try out this solution of yours."

"Let's go, then," Valentine said without inflection.

* * *

Vayon clenched the haft of his staff as the Fire formed itself into a roiling cone around him. As always, shapes and images formed. Risen tearing furrows in streets and pouring hunts of crystal into the ground. Five dragons flying in a V over the ocean. Then he saw his latest Truthbringer, Prox Nemesis. Undying vengeance personified, truly a fearsome creature. But then Prox Nemesis's troll-like face distorted and he exploded as a unicorn impaled him through the torso.

Jagged hunks of the creature's body dragged themselves together, and in a flash the Truthbringer was reborn. He sported another pair of arms behind the first, and the spikes running down his back were twice as long.

Vayon smiled passively. He'd created so many Truthbringers, simply compressed the Fire of Truth hard enough with a virtue or vice in mind and something formidable was created. Just what he couldn't always be sure, and Prox Nemesis was truly one of the most powerful. If Stellarman thought they'd seen the last of that creature, they were in for a rude awakening.

The images changed. Vayon could see Kyle sleeping in a patchy tent in that empty lot on the fringes of what had once been called Cape Lombard. He awoke, a pleased look on that snide face of his. It wasn't just a look of pride, he had something in mind.

Mentally Vayon reached out to Prox Nemesis, placed an urge to head south toward the ruins of Cape Lombard in his simple mind. Even as he watched the visions in the sheets of Fire showed Kyle vanishing. If Kyle was up to something, perhaps he could help the delinquent along…

* * *

Bohdi was the first one to climb into the pod Valentine had appointed him. His clothes hung on a rail opposite the pod. Doing his best to respect Bohdi's privacy, Daniel stripped to the skin and climbed inside his own pod.

"So what exactly's gonna happen once we're in here?" Cliff asked, casting a sidelong glance at Daniel's pod.

"This will implant a kind of circuitry inside your bodies that will carry most of the Starlight you channel and in the process take the load off your own bodies. If I do say so myself, it also collects more Starlight than you do by yourselvesand transmits it more quickly," said Valentine. "You won't even need to use your cards anymore."

"That would be nice," said Daniel.

"But you said there might side effects," Caitlin reminded her.

"Well…the system might be a little too efficient," Valentine admitted. "It should allow you to use even more Starlight than you're used to, but you might end up calling on more than you expected. It'll take some getting used to."

"Kyle's been using his a lot longer than we have and it hasn't burn him out. Why do we need to get implants to use ours?" Aki grumbled as she climbed in anyway.

"He's had years to temper his body too," said Valentine. "You don't feel like waiting that long, do you?"

"We started this, let's finish it," Daniel said.

Valentine walked to a console and pressed a row of buttons. On the other side of the base Commander Thebes didn't even look up as the lights in her room went dark. A sweet-smelling gas filled the five pods and they heard a soft metallic clattering.

"When you guys wake up, Stellarman's going to be stronger than ever," was the last thing they heard before going under.

* * *

It was almost imperceptible at first. A dull ringing against the wall of Sol Dome. Within minutes a spot of white had formed on the side of what had been a laboratory. As it grew, a sulphurous smell filling the air as it grew to a man-sized orifice, through which dove StellarBurn. He rolled to his feet and looked around, taking in his empty surroundings.

"Looks like they closed this stupid place down without those stupid kids around," he murmured. He knocked the door off its track with a kick and ambled into the hallway. The lights were out, but on the inside of his visor he could see outlines of his surroundings. Vayon hadn't missed a thing with duplicating his old power suit.

"Let's see…was it this way or that way to the hangar?" He jogged off in the direction that felt right, shooting fireballs at any door in his way. As he followed distant instincts the doors started to get thicker. He reached one last security checkpoint and burned his way through, coming out into a vast room where two rows of giant animal-like shapes greeted him. Grinning triumphantly he started walking toward Monoceros.

"Who the hell let you in here?" said a tired voice.

"Oh yeah. If it isn't…what'd we call you, anyway? That's the one thing I'm still trying to remember," Burn jibed at her. "Thebes, that was it."

"How'd you find Sol Dome again?" she demanded. "Oh Thebes, you're probably thinking one of your precious kids accidentally led me here or something. Maybe your stupid mind wiper just didn't work as good as you hoped on someone like me. For a couple weeks I honestly didn't remember how I ended up back in juvie, but then it started creeping back. The suits, the monsters, the hot black-haired girl I used to work with. I had a general idea where I used to work, how it was laid out. Face it Thebes, your tricks just don't work on me. I've got more power than any of the dumb kids you've duped into doing your dirty work."

"You're not taking any of those machines, Kyle."

"Are you saying you'll stop me?"

"You're damn right I am."


	26. Phase 25: Burial

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 25: Burial

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

The lights in the hangar crackled, flickered then went dead.

"Real tight ship you run here, Thebes," Burn laughed and circled toward the image of her outlined against his visor.

"Look who's talking. You don't even know what you'll do if you get away with these things, do you?" Thebes asked, sounding infuriatingly calm.

"I was thinking I'd start with busting up your dumb little fort then go and try 'em out on some of those guys impersonating me and my old friends," Kyle said then silently dove to the other side of the hangar without making a noise. Just as quietly he jumped, aiming the heel of his boot at Commander Thebes's neck. The instant before his blow landed, she ducked. Burn landed awkwardly, then the next thing he knew something exploded against his back. He went flying but recovered and landed in a crouch, more surprised than hurt.

Thebes was still standing where she had been. How had she hit him? How had she known his attack was coming in the first place?

"Blastfire!" he yelled, abandoning subtlety. Thebes caught the fireball in flight and with a grimace crushed it between her hands. He performed another flying kick, connecting with her midsection this time and knocking her back. He punched once to her middle then once to her temple. She groaned and slumped over.

Right away she pushed herself to her knees, and Burn ran for where Monoceros was docked. He pressed his palms against the nearest leg and summoned all his Starlight. A wave of dark red spread from the point of contact, creeping over the robot's white armor. Then he ran over to Delphinus and did the same, and within a matter of moments both robots had turned the same red as his battle suit.

Thebes was on her feet, and swept her arm in a wide arc in Burn's direction. A violet wave formed and shot at Burn, but he was expecting it this time and jumped inside Delphinus. The red Monoceros thundered up, and Thebes hurled herself out of the way to avoid being squashed by the enormous unicorn. Delphinus jumped up and landed on its back, and then to Thebes's horror Monoceros's horn extended into its blade form. It sliced an inverted V into the hangar door then charged through.

"Oh no you don't…" Thebes whispered to herself, then shut her eyes and concentrated harder than she had in longer than she cared to remember.

A violet glow swallowed her, and then face of Maria Craice Thebes peeled away. In her place was a creature the same color as the light surrounding her. From her shoulders sprouted numerous delicate blooms, and while her blank face showed wrinkles, there was no mistaking the anger burning in those dazzling eyes.

Grimacing with pain wracking her aged body, she flew out of the hangar in pursuit of Burn.

She didn't have far to go. Before they'd cleared half a mile that dragon robot of his rose out of the trees on its hydraulic hind legs. Draco turned and exhaled a barrage of fire at Thebes but she crossed her hands and a transparent violet barrier formed between herself and the fire. It passed around her without doing any damage, but she launched another glowing crescent that likewise glanced off Draco's neck. She kept them flying even as Draco took a Beta Unit in each claw and flapped its wings. In another second it was off the ground and heading for the horizon at something approaching Mach 20.

Her body was engulfed in searing pain as she flew as fast as she could to keep up with Draco. Slowly, imperceptibly, she started to gain on the robot dragon. Then she noticed something below, a brown and yellow giant with four arms stomping southward.

A Truthbringer. Heading back toward Sol Dome

What did it matter? What was there to save? And if Burn got away he could probably use those robots he'd stolen with his own.

But as she passed by one huge arm flashed out and grabbed Commander Thebes out the air. In another second Draco was only a bat-like shape in the far distance, and Prox Nemesis was crushing the life out of his tiny captive.

* * *

Worlds away, Erica shrieked in pain and collapsed on the floor of her new chambers. The sleek red-skinned servants Meghris had appointed her were immediately by her side.

"What's wrong, my lady?" the one on her left asked, his handsome face covered with a look of worry.

"I just…I just felt like something was crushing me," she gasped, traces of the sensation still lingering as she got up. The other servant gently stroked over her body looking for injuries until she knocked his hands away. "Keep those to yourself, I'm fine. I can barely feel it anymore."

He bowed in submission. "As you say, my lady," he said and retreated to a respectful distance.

Erica shook herself, then before the Rigelians could argue she flew out her window and across the Ikardaa skyline. She looked down at the low stone buildings, quite a few of which were still in ruins from Niikarao's thankfully brief rampage. Thankfully brief because the others had put a stop to it.

The call for her to come and save Ikardaa seemed ironic in retrospect, and yet it made a horrible kind of sense at the same time. She'd been tossed aside in no time by the two space demons' ultimate form, yet her father had intended for her and her alone to come to the planet's defense. With the Starlight coursing through her to a level she'd never thought possible, she might have just managed it, if they'd had a chance to meet and reveal her true form beforehand.

Erica hovered over the middle of the city, looking down at her dazzling skin. The answer for why she'd always had such an affinity for Starlight. She was Starlight. Not only that, she was a Shakai. The only offspring ever produced between two of her own kind. A cold sensation settled over her as she realized felt no desire to test her new limits, or even to get used to the opulent conditions Meghris was giving her on this hollow metal ball he called home.

She hadn't even seen Meghris since he'd pulled away the human covering and shown her what she really was. And when he left, he just turned his back and walked away. No, "hope you like your new home," or "I've been waiting a long time to see you again." Meghris hadn't even given her specifics on what he expected her to do now that the danger was past.

Meghris. Not her father, Meghris. It didn't matter if she was a human with a military nut for a mother or an alien with an alien lunatic for a father, she had people who saw her as an asset. Not parents.

Not unlike Daniel. And Bohdi. And Aki. And the Ashfords…

She sighed and flew off over the city, pondering what exactly Meghris had in mind for her, and if there was any way out.

* * *

Thebes braced herself for the pain, even worse than having a huge monster crushing the life out of her, and called up every bit of Starlight she could muster. A violet wave surged out from her body and pushed Prox Nemesis's fingers apart enough for her to fly up out of his reach.

A death ray ripped from his gaping mouth and she felt its heat as she zoomed to safety. She pelted the monster's face with bolt after bolt, catching him between the eyes and actually knocking him off his feet. Thebes fired another bolt into his eye, but couldn't deny the pain of her efforts anymore and dropped from the sky. She hit the ground, turned transparent for a second and then turned corporeal again.

And miles away, Caitlin awoke from the stupor of Valentine's anesthetic gas. With a strength she'd never known without the amplification of her battle suit, she pushed the lid off her pod and stepped out. Intricate orange lines covered her flesh like circuitry. She looked around the narrow room where the pods were, and for a second was almost blinded by the colors of Valentine's plating and the orange light pouring from Aki's pod.

Valentine looked up from her console in surprise even as her fingers continued to fly performing the operation on the others. "Caitlin, are you all right?"

"What happened to my eyes?"

"Your sight's been improved by all the Starlight you're taking in. Probably your other senses too. It'll take some getting used to."

"That's not all," Caitlin said. "Thebes is in trouble. She's got Starlight too, and she was using a lot, then she just stopped…"

"Commander Thebes has Starlight?" Valentine asked, but then returned her attention to the procedure. "Maybe you should relax and let the upgrade sink in, Catie. This is probably all really disorienting."

"I'm not imagining things, Valentine!" Caitlin snapped, thumping her fist on her empty pod. "I could feel it! Purple Starlight like Erica's!" Angrily, Caitlin stomped over to the only other pod where the gas had cleared. Aki's. She wrenched open the lid and pulled her teammate out.

"Murza-werz…" Aki mumbled groggily.

"Come on, Aki, we got work to do," Caitlin said.

"Catie, please," Valentine pleaded. "You're not recovered from the procedure yet. Nothing's happening and even if it were you need to take some time to adjust to your new sensations."

"Aki, let's go," Caitlin said, dragging her teammate along. Aki hung around for a second, peering into the red pod on the end whose occupant still awaited the system now glowing through her skin. They dressed as quickly as possible could and hurried out of Valentine's lab. To Caitlin's relief it was on the main level, same as the mecha hangar, to which her hunch lead them. It was no feat noticing two of the Beta Units were gone and the door hacked open.

"I knew it!" Caitlin said triumphantly. "Something did happen!"

"You ready to try this again, Catie?"

"Cosmic Evolution!" they called together, and as always the celestial discs flew from their rings and engulfed their bodies. As Aki and Caitlin disappeared to be replaced by StellarBlue and StellarPink once again, there was no tingling, no pain as their Starlight was amplified by their transformation. They ran to their Ptolemic Machines and charged out through the opening.

After a minute at the controls of her Ptolemic Machine, Pink was noticing the colors and motions of everything around her starting to steady themselves. They were still brighter, more lucid than she was used to, but she had a feeling she adjusting quicker than Valentine had thought she might. She smile faintly, then saw it.

There was a four-armed shape on the horizon, and a few seconds later Blue recognized it.

"But we killed that thing…"

"Maybe Vayon put him back together," Pink ventured. "What's that on the ground?"

"It looks like the purple Shakai, doesn't it?"

"It does," Pink said as Prox Nemesis brought a titanic fist down toward the helpless glowing form below.

"Fox Fire!" Pink screamed and her fox's weapons buffeted the multi-armed monstrosity. He swayed, but didn't fall.

"Bas-Eye!" Blue followed, aiming the eyes of her lizard robot at the monster's offending arm. The shots hit home but only seemed to make Prox Nemesis angry as he uprooted a tree and threw it at Lacerta, knocking it onto its back.

"Girls!" Valentine's voice, almost drowned out by static, came over their communications channel. "You should have access to enough Starlight to control StellarSavage by yourselves now! Call the other Ptolemic Machines!"

"Ptolemic Machines, launch!" the two yelled then scattered just in time to avoid Prox Nemesis rolling himself up into a thundering at them. He veered sharply and charged again, chasing them back the way they'd come. Approaching were Lupus, Hydra and Aquila.

"Star Cross!" Blue commanded and as always the robot animals reconfigured themselves into body parts while Blue and Pink rose out of their individual Ptolemic Machines. In another second they were sitting in the cockpit inside StellarSavage's head, and saw the armored brown ball closing in on them again.

StellarSavage reached out to kick Prox Nemesis but the monster suddenly rolled out of the way of its foot and smashed the robot into the air. Again it turned and rumbled in their direction.

"Serpent Salvo!" Pink shrieked as StellarSavage launched itself high into the air. Hydra's heads spewed their laser bolts, ripping tons of dirt into the air. Prox Nemesis sounded as if he was laughing as StellarSavage returned to Earth, then vanished into the clouds of dust. A second later a cry of surprise tore across the field. The dust cleared to reveal the monster sprawled in a hole.

He jumped to his feet and rushed StellarSavage, throwing punches with all four arms and roaring like a demon. The Serpent Salvo flew again but the shots didn't even darken his armor plating. StellarSavage backpedaled but Prox Nemesis was faster than he looked and slammed the two fists on one side into StellarSavage's chest, then the other two into its back

"Think we can use the Beta Units that aren't ours?" Blue asked.

"What's wrong with Corvus?"

"It's got no range attacks and we don't have anyone to put the wings back on anymore, remember?" Blue retorted.

"Ursa, launch!" screamed Pink, but even as she felt her Starlight reaching out to new lengths she'd never imagined, she couldn't feel any contact. What she could feel was pain as the spike atop the monster's shoulders suddenly extended straight up and sent red lightning shooting into StellarSavage's body.

"Guess we're on our own," Pink said. "You said you fought this one before?"

"Yeah, but he only had two arms, and they didn't look as thick then."

"Then we'll have to look for a weak point."

"Try getting him from behind, right below the shoulders. That's where Bohdi stabbed him before," Blue advised.

Prox Nemesis growled and lunged with two fists again but this time StellarSavage hurled itself to the other side and slashed its up and down across the monster's unprotected back. He growled again, turning and swinging another double punch StellarSavage barely dodged.

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" Pink yelled.

"I got an idea," Blue offered. StellarSavage kept dancing around Prox Nemesis, trying to keep him from realizing where it was long enough to launch an attack. He grunted in irritation, then saw StellarSavage lunging forward, its hand a glowing spike. It ripped into his cavernous mouth, and Prox Nemesis barely had time to gargle in horror and surprise before he exploded again.

Pink and Blue stayed in the robot's cockpit for a second, to make sure the monster they'd just killed didn't spring back from the dead more terrible than before as they dropped their guard. After a while they couldn't wait any longer and disembarked from StellarSavage as fast as they could. They ran to where the purple Shakai was lying and knelt beside her.

"Thebes? Is that you?" Pink asked.

She coughed horribly, and both had no doubt she would've spat blood if she'd had a mouth. "Guess who has a secret?" she half-chuckled, half-gasped. The two of them hoisted her onto their shoulders.

Blue shook her head. "This explains a lot. How you always knew where new robots were when we needed 'em, how you came up with the Battle Dealers…but I thought you guys quit fighting because your powers didn't work anymore. Hell, I thought you guys quit existing." "Most of us did," Commander Thebes coughed horribly again. "I couldn't. I'm not the only one. For right now let's get back to the base. If you can suddenly still fight again, we've got a reason to keep going."

* * *

They called Sol Dome to report what they'd found, then had their battered robot run back to for all it was worth, Commander Thebes continuing to coffee and moan as they did. After some especially bad attacks she flashed and turned transparent for a few seconds.

"Cover up the hole in the door," she groaned once they were back inside Sol Dome, and they hastily had StellarSavage gather up debris that it arranged to do a passable job of covering the hole from view.

"Don't worry Thebes, everything's gonna be okay," Blue said in her best assuring voice, which she'd never had much call to use.

"Don't you dare baby me," she grunted. "Maybe I haven't had to do this in centuries, but I was doing okay…"

They reverted to normal except for Commander Thebes, who they hauled out of the hangar supported on their shoulders. The lights were on again and Daniel, Cliff, and Bohdi were running toward them, intricate orange lines crawling over their arms and faces as well. Valentine was behind them and immediately her hand flipped down to reveal a humming parabolic dish she aimed at Commander Thebes, who flickered into transparency again.

"Is that really Thebes?" Cliff whispered.

"Yes, Cliff, it is," Caitlin replied. "What's wrong with her, Valentine?"

"I'll tell you what's wrong," Commander Thebes coughed. "I did something I shouldn't and broke myself."

"Her body's losing cohesion," said Valentine. "I'm afraid Commander Thebes is about to disintegrate…"

"Can't we do anything?" Bohdi asked, but his somber tone suggested he'd already accepted the answer was no.

"Put me down, damn it," Commander Thebes interrupted. Caitlin and Aki leaned her against the wall.

"Maybe we could use the system on her…" Daniel started to suggest, but Comander Thebes glared at him.

"You can't save everyone, kids. If you're going to keep up this fight, you have to face that," she said, turning even more insubstantial. "There's a panel under my desk. In it you'll find directions that'll lead you to something that'll even the field now. Being free of the strains won't be enough, Proxordo's everywhere now. Daniel, promise me something."

"What is it?"

"When you see Erica again, tell her how much of a mess I was. Tell her it was because of losing her. I never should've gone to Meghris, but I…" she sobbed quietly. "I couldn't stand it. I just needed to know there was someone like me nearby, even if I knew her father was going to call her away someday."

She cried a little more, the sounding fading until her body finished dissolving into purple sparkles that were soon lost from sight themselves.

"God, it's just one thing after another since we got back," Cliff said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"You're not backing' out now, are you kid?" Aki said challengingly.

"You think my ego's the only thing there is to me, don't you?" he sighed.

"Cut it out," Bohdi said.

"Really," Caitlin sighed in exasperation. "Can't we at least mourn the dead before you guys start fighting again?"

"Yeah, but not for long," Daniel said. "If she left us one last surprise the most respectful thing we can do is go see what it is, then act on it."

* * *

Vayon took in the sight of the red-tinged sky as it finally started to darken slightly with the fall of night. The sky was always a deep red now, thanks to the crystal spires around the globe discharging the Fire of Truth into the sky. It seemed like just the day before when he was trying to make an example of Stellarman, then suddenly they were gone. No force existed that could stand in the way of his greater ambitions, and he started to deploy his followers around the world, growing new spires.

True, other groups had appeared as if from nowhere, attempting to take Stellarman's place. They had cost him a few Truthbringers, set back his plans by decimating the site of a few spires before they could be completed. But none had the power to destroy a spire once it had been activated, and slowly, slowly the glow of the Fire of Truth was spreading to cover the entire world…

His thoughts were interrupted as he saw the huge black shape winging toward Haven. For a moment his blood chilled-had his enemies finally managed to penetrate the city's veil of invisibility-but then he noticed it was too big to be one of those pitiful summonations Dracon V derived their power from. And in either claw it carried something like dead game it was bringing back to its nest.

He vanished and reappeared in the portion of the undercity that he had long ago appointed to Draco. The doors were closing as he did, and just as he suspected two of Stellarman's vehicles were clutched in its talons. Vayon hardly even noticed when Dione appeared beside him, and then Kamandetes in his black armor as usual.

"What have we here?" boomed the master of Proxordo as he inspected the new color scheme on the captured Beta Units.

StellarBurn stepped from his robotic dragon and reverted to Kyle, who wore a triumphant smirk. "A few new add-ons to that awesome robot you gave me," he said. "Thought they might make the job of getting rid of those new teams more interesting."

"And did Prox Nemesis help in acquisition, my young friend?"

"If that's what that four-armed thing's name is, yeah, a little."

Vayon nodded. "And what of Stellarman?"

"You tell me. None of 'em showed up to stop me. Maybe they quit 'cuz their powers don't work no more."

"Well for your trial run with your new equipment, go back there and make sure," Vayon said, not entirely hiding his irritation that Kyle hadn't thought to do that himself.

"Sure. Later. I'm still seeing what you've done to the planet," Kyle said before he disappeared into thin air.

"Master?" Kamandetes asked the minute Kyle was out of sight. "Why do you put so much faith in that…boy? Powerful he might be, but he flaunts your authority and the resources you've given him all the time. What of us, your loyal soldiers who've been by your side since the beginning? Have we not continued the fight even as new enemies sprang up, while he disappeared for months on end?"

Vayon didn't turn around as he answered. "What of your fight with Leagueranger? Didn't they destroy the receptacle for the spire you were entrusted to prepare?"

"Yes…"

"And did we not lose another under your command to that metal organization? What are they called again? And did Haikoga even return from the last mission he led?"

"We did not," Kamandetes reminded him. "I bested their leader in combat myself."

"Oh, is that so? And you wish to upgrade your status to match StellarBurn, I assume?"

"Sir," Dione spoke up with unusual formality. He hadn't enjoyed her company in so long he almost didn't remember how at ease they usually were in each other's company. "When you were away gathering yourself, Kamandetes was the only one of us determined to continue the fight. While he might have been out of line in doing so, he even labored to find a way to create Truthcraft in your absence. Give us the chance to help assure your vision again."

Kamandetes glared at her, but faced forward again as Vayon made a thoughtful sound.

"Perhaps you are, Kamandetes. Perhaps yet more new developments are about to arise, and if so we should be ready to deal with them. Have Haikoga join us in my private chambers tomorrow afternoon. We shall see what we can do about preparing for the future…"


	27. Phase 26: Fate

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 26: Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Kamandetes sat in quiet meditation in the empty room outside Vayon's private retreat within the tall tower overlooking the rest of Haven. He held his sword perfectly upright in one hand. His arm didn't waver in the slightest, as it hadn't for the past two hours. Now and again flame licked across the surface of the blade.

Dione likewise hovered slightly off the ground in the lotus position, her eyes shut and her face serene as she waited for their master to reveal himself and his intentions. If one were to look at her for any length of time, they might see a spectral gray face appear atop hers and wail silently in rage for an instant before disappearing.

As usual, Haikoga hunkered down as far away from the others as he could and cast furtive looks around as if he was expecting them to spring at him at any moment. He didn't care about this world and he cared even less about the people in it. If obeying Vayon's whims wasn't the only thing keeping him alive…

The doors to Vayon's inner sanctum opened without warning. "Enter, my emissaries." Kamandetes rose, sheathed his sword and pushed his way past Dione to be the first to enter. Dione was next, and Haikoga grunted and slunk warily into the crescent-shaped room last. Dominating the far wall was a window through which could be seen the sprawling expanse of Haven, then a canopy of clouds. Not that anyone could see them from the outside anyway.

The room was completely empty except for its occupant, clad as always in his ornate armor, decorated with the likenesses of snarling beasts, staff in hand. His helmet was off for once, and a smile was on his face. It was one of satisfaction, but there was a menace behind it as well.

"Loyal commanders of Proxordo, how long has it been since we last convened? Either all together or individually?" was the question he posed to them.

"It has been many months," Kamandetes said. "The last time was not long after Stellarman disappeared."

"Yes," Vayon said. "Too long have you only spoken to me to receive your orders. Proxordo's vision is one of unity! I have ignored my most faithful even as our scope expands."

Haikoga huffed almost derisively through his nose. Vayon didn't seem to notice.

"To that end, as StellarBurn has increased his power with the theft of Stellarman's equipment, I see fit to reward those who have stood with me since the beginning with greater access to the Fire, that you may lead us to greater victories."

He raised his hands, Fire streaming from them. Dione drifted back an inch, but the otherworldly energy was already engulfing the three of them.

Aki and Bohdi flipped the desk in Commander Thebes's office over with a crash. Valentine shined a flashlight that cast a purple beam onto the floor, revealing a small rectangular depression in the carpet they never would've noticed otherwise. Caitlin knelt down and tore the carpet away with a growl that made Cliff jump back in surprise, and reached into the hollow she revealed. She pulled a box which she smashed open on the edge of the desk before anyone could ask if they knew anything about a key.

Caitlin unfolded a piece of paper that showed a map of Florida and Georgia. A little way north of the border, there was a red circle with a red Z in the center.

"All right, looks like we have someplace to go," Aki said with a wan smile.

"Well if it's just us, is there any way to blow the base?" Daniel asked. "If Kyle found this place once he'll be back."

"I don't know if the explosives are as potent as they used to be but I'll get everything ready."

"Have you thought about how we're supposed to fix the Ptolemic Machines?" Caitlin asked. "StellarSavage took some pretty big hits back there when we ran into that monster again."

"Have you thought about who's gonna do that?" Aki countered. "It's just the five of us and Valentine now, remember? You think Kyle'll leave the rest of the Beta Units alone if you ask him nice? Or maybe you'll go on a date with him so he'll leave us alone."

Cliff and Bohdi backed off, smart enough not to insert themselves into what looked to be a catfight in the making. Daniel, on the other hand, pried them apart. "I know the Dome was kind of where we really lived for a while, but it's time to move on. Everybody grab anything you can't live without that you can carry on your back and be in the hangar in ten minutes."

Cliff went straight to the hangar and dragged his Charger into a cavity in the underside of Ursa, then slapped it shut before dashing over to Aquila and climbing into the cockpit. What could the others possibly have to tie them to this place? It had been somewhere to get away from the mundane world, but not somewhere that was any fun to be. Now that he had no idea where his family was, what reason was there to stick around Sol Dome? Hell, people probably didn't even remember that bunch of stupid kids with stars on their shirts who'd put up a fight against Vayon for a little while before he turned the whole sky red, Cliff thought with an irritated sigh.

Bohdi was the next one back. He had one meaty hand clenched tight around something while the other hung open at his side. Daniel was next, a rolled-up poster under one arm and what looked like a pair of t-shirts clutched in his hand. Craning his neck, Cliff could just make out the top of what looked to him like the logo of N. Armstrong's baseball team. All their teams, of course, but that was the only one Cliff had ever bothered to follow.

A few minutes later Aki showed up with a cloth shopping bag over one arm. She loaded her motorcycle into Lacerta's underbelly but then hustled up the boarding ramp of Corvus. He peered out but couldn't get a good look at what she was carrying before the ramp closed. Aki was taking a lot of stuff with her, huh? Cliff wasn't surprised, the two of them were as different as night and day.

Lastly, Caitlin entered the hangar, carrying nothing but an unusually severe expression for her. Her lips were tight as if irritated, but looking at her eyes she looked more tired than anything. As she loaded up her Charger, Valentine made her way into the hangar.

"I've prepared the self destruct, let's get out of here," she said.

"And you're sure the Dome's empty except for us?" Daniel asked.

"I did a full scan. This place is completely empty."

"Come on, Val. You're riding with me," Daniel called her from the inside of Lupus. As soon as she was inside the robot wolf turned and blew doors open before taking off at a run. The procession of Ptolemic Machines followed as they fled their former sanctuary, Ursa and Lacerta on autopilot. Once they'd gotten a few miles away they were almost blown off their metal feet as a thunderous explosion filled the air, and a hillside behind them collapsed in a maelstrom of dirt and dust.

"I still can't believe you did that, Daniel," Caitlin said softly.

"I didn't enjoy it myself," Daniel said, "but I couldn't let Kyle and Vayon find out anything from the old base. I know it's been a parade of suck since we got back but-"

"But it's not over yet!" Aki yelled.

Cresting a nearby hill and smashing dead trees beneath his feet with every step, was Prox Nemesis. Again, he had changed. His four massive arms were even brawnier now, the upper pair ending in talons as long as long as swords. Swords someone his size could wield. In addition, there was a strange flap below his face that opened every few seconds, a howling wind issuing from it each time.

"What do we do, boss?" asked Aki grimly.

"Scatter, try to lose him," Daniel said. Valentine clutched his shoulder as Lupus dodged back and forth in front of the enormous monster. Prox Nemesis slammed both its upper arms where the wolf robot crouched, only for it to nip out of the way and around the powerful but clumsy brute. He turned his attention to the next viable target, but already the Ptolemic Machines were spread out and swarming past him out of the reach of his many arms. Aquila slashed at his neck with its metal wings as it flew by but before he could react it was out of sight.

They could hear Prox Nemesis roar in frustration and lumber after them, but he was stronger than he was fast and after a minute he was off their scanners. "That was close," Bohdi sighed.

"Everybody, full speed ahead," Daniel ordered.

The parade of Ptolemic Machines raced through the lifeless remains of Cape Lombard, over barren hills and past towns and cities that still stood. The people's faces Cliff could see were tired, but as the Ptolemic Machines charged past he could swear he saw most of them brighten. He settled back in his seat and tried to focus on keeping the rest of the mecha in sight as they rushed northward.

They crossed a highway, jumping to avoid the cars cruising along, especially as most skidded to a halt in surprise as the colorful mechanized animals leaped over them and kept rushing into the distance. Off to one side was a tall sign, but the only word Cliff could make out before he passed it was "GEORGIA."

He glanced down at his instruments and saw a huge green blip that the Ptolemic machines were coming up on fast. Lupus slowed down and the others came to a halt in a ragged circle nearby. Cliff hadn't noticed before, but now there was a throbbing that seemed to travel up the feet of Aquila, through him and exit out the robotic eagle's head. It was like the fake sun back on Ikardaa.

"This is the place," Bohdi said. "It has to be."

"It's nice of you coming out all this way to be buried," a sarcastic voice came over the comlink. Suddenly Draco swooped down from the sky, then turned on its side so its wing swept through the gathered Ptolemic Machines, scattering them like toys.

Cliff raised his ring. "Cosmic Evolution!" He grabbed the controls and forced Aquila upright as it spun through the air. "Star Cross!" he called next, all the red skies, barren hills, relieved faces and the secret they'd come to find forgotten. Instincts honed by years of dealing with people who thought they were his better took over. There was only one thought in his mind, and it was to bring down Draco and its pilot.

Vulpecula and Lacerta folded up to become legs, Lupus the torso and Aquila docking inside it and unfolding to reveal a head. Hydra became the robot's arms, its central head settling over StellarSavage's own as a helmet. But as the combination finished sparks shot from the joints of its arms and a crack in its chest gaped wider.

"Draconian Rebirth," Burn said calmly, and his dragon reshaped itself into a humanoid warrior watching their own. It held up the heavy mace covering one arm menacingly. "You really think you've got a chance in that old piece of crap?"

"You helped us before, Kyle," Pink yelled back. "Now that we're back home you're back to doing whatever Vayon tells you?" "I helped you because that was more interesting. Now it's more interesting to see just how far convinced you yourselves you have a shot at winning this."

"Beta Cross," Yellow ordered. Ursa split apart then reattached itself to StellarSavage. Draco swung its mace-arm and StellarSavage raised its heavy gauntlet to block the weapon. It did, but chips of the gauntlet flew through the air. Its metal body whining in protest StellarSavage threw a punch before Draco attacked again and landed a good blow on its chest. The dragon-robot staggered from the impact but took off and bashed its mace into the orifice in StellarSavage's torso as it went by.

"Corvus, Beta Cross!" Blue screamed desperately, but even as the robot crow took flight Draco zoomed in and landed a kick that sent it spinning away, then slammed its mace into StellarSavage again.

The gestalt shot sparks from multiple openings in its joints, and Stellarman recoiled as bolts of electricity leaped from their consoles. StellarSavage teetered, then fell. The lights in the cockpit went out as the robot hit the ground with a crunch.

"Everybody out! On the double!" ordered Red before StellarSavage had even finished shaking from the impact. He tore off his safety belt then reached over and tore off Blue's. Without waiting for the others he drew his Switch Magnum and charged outside.

Draco stomped closer but not even stopping to think, Red trained his gun on the robot's eye and fired. Sparks flew from the point of impact but Draco's approach wasn't slowed in the slightest. A second later Blue was at his side and joined him as he fired again, this time eliciting a scornful laugh from StellarBurn.

"Now this is just sad. You were no match for me even with your busted down old robot!"

"So why don't you come out of that thing and fight us with your own two hands if you're so tough?" Blue called in challenge.

"Because I'm bored with you, remember? Or are you stupid _and_ have no short-term memory?"

Draco swung its mace on a path that would smash both them and into the hatch the others and Valentine were using to emerge from StellarSavage. Red and Blue fired up again at the attacking robot, but all of a sudden a glowing blue dome surrounded them and their fallen mecha. The ground beneath them shift, and as fast it could Draco broke off its attack and launched itself a safe distance into the air. The entire field shook and then a large circular portion fell away, taking Stellarman and the Ptolemic Machines down a long metal-sided shaft. A pair of hemispherical doors closed, sealing the shaft.

Draco landed then brought up its mace to smash through, but stopped short when a figure appeared standing on the doors.

There was no mistaking it as Kamandetes, but he was showing signs of having been gifted by his master. His black armor was sporting blade-like crests on his shoulders, arms and legs, and the snakes on his wrists and shoulders hissed softly. The enormous sword he wielded with such ease was serrated in a flame-like pattern at the tip of its blade.

"What the hell is this?" Burn demanded.

"You're being relieved of command, as it were," Kamandetes replied, not acknowledging that a two hundred-foot robot had very nearly crushed him a second before. "Master Vayon had dispatched me to oversee the pursuit of Stellarman." He eyed the metal under his boots for a second. "It appears they've eluded you."

"Get out of the way and I'll fix that."

"Until you get bored and go off to amuse yourself, I suppose," Kamandetes said with clear disdain. "No, we're going to see what happens if someone who sticks around until the job's done is in charge."

"Have it your way," Burn retorted. Draco took to the air again and flew away.

"And we're supposed to be depending on him to solve this problem?" Kamandetes mumbled, then rapped the tip of his sword on the metal doors. "Risen!"

Puffs of Fire erupted all over the field, each spawning one of Proxordo's metal-skinned foot soldiers. Swiftly they gathered around the knight. One facing his right shoulder shivered as the snake on his shoulder plate hissed menacingly at him.

"Stellarman escaped from that imbecile through this door. Surround it and melt a way in," he ordered them. "We've got them this time."

"Guys?" Blue asked a bit uneasily. "Did we find whatever was on Thebes's map?"

"I don't know what else this could be," Cliff said sarcastically. "Unless you think hell's made out of metal and looks like an elevator shaft."

"Cliff, knock it off," Black interrupted, in the process interrupting Pink before she could say the same thing. After a minute the elevator stopped. There was a grinding sound of machinery in operation. Then their surprise the wall around them rocketed up into the ceiling. They were in a large, long room. It looked a lot like the mecha hangar back in Sol Dome, but it was more well-lit than they remembered even when the base was still up and running. They were standing nearby the wall marking the edge, and on the far side of the room they could just make out a number of dim shapes beyond where the lights extended. Their attention was seized by a door opened invitingly for them.

"Hi, kids. Glad you could make it. Step on through and I'll explain everything," said the voice of Maria Craice Thebes. The tinny echo left no doubt it was a recording. They followed the voice through the door and up a flight of stairs until they were in a control room overlooking the hangar. In the middle of the room was a pedestal with twelve partitions, each decorated by a symbol of the Zodiac. Hovering above it was a hologram of Commander Thebes in her true form. Valentine made an electronic sound like she was choking back tears.

"Hello, Stellarman. If you're listening to this, then I'm probably not around anymore, but you made it to where I hid the key to your ultimate power. I'd hoped you'd never need it, but things have just been getting worse and worse ever since we started fighting Proxordo.

"Every person is guided by the spirit of a celestial sign, and on Earth those signs are the twelve of the Zodiac. This pedestal is configured to act like the Ptolemic Machines did when you activated them and imprinted themselves on your powers. Your guiding signs will be brought to the fore and in doing so will elevate your powers to an entirely new height."

From out in the hangar room they cold hear the sound of metal crashing into metal and saw the door slide off of StellarSavage's motionless form. "Get the feeling that's not our only problem?" Black said. Scores of Risen dropped into the hangar, and Kamandetes followed them a second later. He spotted them in the overlooking room, and with one powerful jump and one slash from his sword he came flying through the wall.

"So that stupid teenager at least managed to track you here," he said in a sneering voice. "When the seven of you disappeared, I was hoping at least he wouldn't come back."

"Clash Knuckle," Red said and threw himself at Kamandetes even as Risen poured into the room through the door and Valentine screamed an electric scream and dove behind a computer console.

Red punched Kamandetes on the armored jaw, but gasped at his own pain. Kamandetes struck back, shattering Red's gauntlet with one stroke from his sword and sending him flying across the room with his next.

"Daniel!" Blue yelped but a Risen caught her between the shoulders with her weapon, and another smacked her in the side with his torch.

Kamandetes seized Red by the throat and pinned him against the wall with one arm, then slammed him hard against the steel barrier for emphasis. "Would you like to watch as I have Prox Nemesis tear that robot of yours apart one piece at a time? That symbol of your interference?"

"You're talking pretty big for somebody who's never actually won a fight with us," Red gurgled.

"Oh, the irony," Kamandetes laughed and brought back his sword to impale his opponent. All of a sudden half-conscious Risen sailed through the air and struck him on the shoulder of the arm holding Red, who took advantage of the knight's weakened grip to kick him in the elbow and drop freely to the floor. Kamandetes turned with a growl and knocked aside another Risen Blue had thrown in his direction.

"Nice throw," Red said as he landed at her side.

"It's not the only thing I'm good at," Blue said, a bit…huskily?

"Paradise Breaker!" Kamandetes yelled and the snakes on his shoulders and bracers stretched out, snapping at the pair of them. They ducked and dodged repeatedly and deflected the snakes' lunges with their swords, but the snakes were composed of some kind of metal and the blades made no impact on them. Finally the serpents got through, one sinking its fangs into Blue's shoulder, the other her thigh. Red tried to jump to her aid when one latched onto his neck.

A Risen's torch slashed across Yellow's chest. He gasped in pain but, feeling strange that it no longer required a special card, called, "Grav-Hammer!" His hammer appeared in his hands and he immediately swung it in a circle scattering the Risen who'd make the mistake of getting too close. Yellow jumped and swung the Grav-Hammer at Kamandetes's back, but the force of the impact traveled up his own arms and he dropped his weapon with a yelp. Kamandetes turned and batted him aside, but it gave Blue and Red a chance to rip the knight's snakes from their bodies.

"Everybody touch the pedestal!" Red yelled and lunged for it himself. He grasped the edge, then Black, then Yellow, then Blue, then Pink…

"Stop them!" Kamandetes howled, but it was too late. The hologram of Commander Thebes seemed to smile, then burst. A pillar of light formed around the pedestal, blocking the attacks of the few Risen close enough to get in a swing. Kamandetes himself charged up and delivered a blow from his sword, but even his attack was repelled. The blinding light only hovered there for a second, but when it dissipated the warriors of Proxordo stood rooted to the spot by what they saw.

Stellarman was still there, already standing in a line, each in a powerful fighting stance. But their uniforms were different now. The left side of each uniform was white fading into a sign of the Zodiac over the chest, which was duplicated on the belt buckle and brow of the helmet. Red's was Taurus, Black's Scorpio, Blue's Capricorn, Yellow's Leo and Pink's Sagittarius. Golden spear-like designs covered their gloves and boots. There was a small rod hanging from each one's belt.

"Star of Hope, StellarPink!"

"Star of Strength, StellarYellow!"

"Star of Freedom, StellarBlue!"

"Star of Discipline, StellarBlack!"

"Star of Courage, StellarRed! With the power of the heavens to protect the Earth…" "Cosmic Squadron Stellarman!" all finished in unison.

"Attack!" Kamandetes bellowed. The Risen hesitated for a moment, then charged. The first one foolish enough to get close enough to hit StellarRed caught a punch in the jaw that sent him sailing through the midst of his charging fellows. Red took advantage of the gap to rush up to Kamandetes. Some instinct in the back of his brain told him to unhook the rod from his belt, and he almost jumped back in surprise as the blade of a broadsword extended from the end facing Kamandetes.

Kamandetes didn't waste any time on banter, he immediately swung his sword again and again at Red, who was astonished to realize he was parrying the strokes with far greater speed and grace than he'd ever learned while he was still using his Switch Magnum. It seemed as if a streak of light zipped back and forth in front of Red, deflecting Kamandetes's attacks.

Suddenly the edge of Red's blade bit into Kamandetes's shoulder but the knight didn't give any sign he'd been hurt and slashed Red across the torso. Two of his armor's snakes lunged for him but Red sliced through with his new sword. The decapitated snakes retreated to Kamandetes's armor, but in a flash they'd sprouted new heads.

"I can keep this up all day, Stellarman."

Red gripped his sword, feeling a thrill of excitement travel up his arms and through the rest of his body. "Then prove it," Red realized he said tauntingly. Another snake shot off Kamandetes's armor but Red decapitated it with one swing and met the knight's own incoming sword with his own.

The Amp-Risen leading the rest of Proxordo's envoys swept his sizzling torch back and forth before him as he advanced on Yellow, who touched the rod on his belt and in the blink of an eye was holding a double-bladed battleaxe. The two weapons met and the Amp-Risen was startled to see a stub of metal where a firebrand had been not a second before, and even more surprised when Yellow's weapon sliced through his weapon and bit into his side. The Risen commander shrieked in pain then went flying off the axe blade thanks to the strongest kick Yellow had ever made.

"Take it easy on them, Cliff!" Pink called as she blocked three torches at once on a pair of tonfas the weapon on her belt had produced. She looked taken aback when she smacked a Risen in the stomach with them and cave in his armor.

"They've made their choice," Black said grimly. He laid about him with a three-section staff as if he'd been born with one in his hand. It knocked a Risen's helmet off with a clang and the dazed trooper went down.

"Come on, you guys! Daniel needs our help!" Blue called chidingly them embedded the prongs of her trident into a Risen's chest plate before hoisting him over her head and flinging him into the Risen attacking Pink from the front so hard they all went flying into the wall and left a dent. Pink seemed to glare at her from behind her mask as if she had everything under control, but didn't say anything. The battered Risen picked them selves up off the floor and ran past Stellarman toward Red and Kamandetes stood, pressing their blades together in an armed standoff.

To the team's surprise the Risen kept going, pushing past Kamandetes and out through the opening he'd created when he made his entrance. They dropped the three stories to the floor without reservation.

"What's wrong with them?" Blue wondered. "They've never done that before."

Kamandetes howled in frustration and pushed forward suddenly, knocking Red off-balance then bowling him over with a sword stroke aimed at his legs. "It appears they've rediscovered the sensation of pain. Gorgon's Blessing," he hissed and the snakes on his armor turned forward and spat energy into one point before him, forming a crackling energy ball that exploded at the group's feet and knocked them all against the wall.

"Perhaps brute force will make up for numbers," Kamandetes sighed, and his armor glowed with the Fire of Truth for a second.

"What did he do?" Blue asked, advancing on him with her trident trained on his chest.

"He called that monster," Black replied. The rest of them realized they could feel it too. Prox Nemesis had materialized above and was ripping away what remained of the hatch that had covered their entrance.

"What do we do?" Yellow asked. "StellarSavage probably can't even move." Kamandetes laughed and teleported away.

"The suits aren't the only part of the upgrade," Red said and pointed to the dark shapes they'd barely had time to notice on the far side of the hangar.

Kamandetes watched proudly as Prox Nemesis tore the hatch off with ease and hurled it over his shoulder with a grunt. He was about to jump down the opening into the complex below when the ground started to shake. The monster grunted and tried to regain his footing before something huge erupted from beneath him. He growled and jumped clear as whatever it was rose into the air, dropping dirt and rock with every inch it ascended.

The earth finished falling away revealing it to be a fortress-sized cross of metal. At the end of each arm was a round bulb and on the side of each was the word "CRUX" in tall red letters. And then another round hatch opened and five dark shapes emerged. A red bull, a blue goat, a black scorpion, a yellow lion, and a pink centaur with a bow built into one arm.

"Say hi to the Z-Machines," Red called, confidence dripping off every syllable.

Kamandetes didn't say anything. He simply stretched out with his mind toward Prox Nemesis and the titanic monstrosity stormed toward the robots. Red and Blue stormed right back, ramming their horns into Prox Nemesis's face and knocking him off-balance for the second it took Pink to send an arrow into his eye.

Prox Nemesis roared in pain but the strange flap in his midsection opened and a veritable wall of wind pushed out and blew the three robots aside. Black jumped onto his back, its stinger lunging forward and pushing through a plate of the monster's armor. Again a cry of pain filled the field and Prox Nemesis swatted it off with one of his long bladed arms. Then he looked up to see Leo facing him down.

The lion robot gave out a roar so powerful the ground trembled, then in one jump it was practically on top of Prox Nemesis, clawing and rending at the uncovered arms on his right side. He stabbed at Leo but the robot cat vaulted off his shoulder and landed beside the other new Ptolemic Machines.

The five robots attacked as one this time. Red and Blue charged its knees with their horns, knocking Prox Nemesis onto his back. Pink jumped high above, firing arrows into the soft spots under his arms, pinning them to the ground. The large spike above the monster's head started to extend but Black's stinger lashed out again and smashed the spike off. As before Yellow finished, slashing at the monster's face with his lion's claws.

Kamandetes sighed. "In a way I suppose it's a blessing I can try out this new gift…" He was swallowed up by a puff of Fire, which shot toward where Prox Nemesis lay at Stellarman's mercy and hit the monster right between the eyes. He blinked, and when he did his eyes were a bronze color, like the formerly human followers of Proxordo.

"I'll annihilate you now, Stellarman," he said in Kamandetes's voice and wrenched himself free from the pinning arrows. He opened his mouth, energy streaming and pushing the Ptolemic Machines back.

"You think we have enough firepower to keep that thing from just growing back even worse than before?" Black asked the others.

"Can't take the chance, we'll have to go all-out," answered Red. "Everybody ready?"

"Ready!"

"Then…Star Cross!"

The Ptolemic Machines shot into the air, then as the first generation of robots had done so many times, they started to reconfigure themselves.

Capricorn split in two, becoming legs, then Leo folded up and linked to the tops becoming hips. Taurus linked to the top of Leo, becoming a torso and a humanoid head arose from the top. Sagittarius and Scorpio formed into arms and attached to Taurus's sides.

Light in the form of a Zodiac wheel issued out from the ground where the gestalt touched tow, and it glowed with power for a second after landing. "Knight of Destiny, StellarFate!"

"Bring your toy over here and we'll wreck it too!" Prox Nemesis taunted, once again in Kamandetes's voice.

"This could be a lot harder if that thing has a brain now," Black warned the others.

"Could be, if it wasn't Kamandetes," Yellow replied. "Let's go!"

StellarFate stepped forward to meet the challenge, and Prox Nemesis replied by opening its mouth and spewing energy. Not a beam but a cloud of sizzling power, but StellarFate came storming through, unfazed by the assault and delivering a punch to the side of Prox Nemesis's head that crunched its armor.

Prox Nemesis darted back, then ran at StellarFate with its bladed arms aimed at the robot's chest. It dodged at the last moment but Prox Nemesis twisted as it went past and stabbed the tip of one blade into StellarFate's back. The monster kicked off StellarFate's back, vaulting a good distance away then rolled up and thundered toward the robot.

StellarFate crossed its arms in front of itself and Prox Nemesis laughed at the futility of such a gesture, but then Stellarman called out, "Fate Shield!" A glowing disc as tall as the robot appeared between them. In a ring around its edges were the symbols of the Zodiac. Prox Nemesis rammed into the shield, pressing against it and sending sparks flying as its spikes grated against it, but StellarFate stood firm. Finally there was an explosion and Prox Nemesis was hurled backward and landed in a heap.

Prox Nemesis jumped right back up and crossed his blades, an X-shaped blast of energy ripping from them into StellarFate, knocking the robot off-balance. The monster screamed in his own voice and charged StellarFate again, stabbing the air with his bladed arms and punching with his fists. A few blows connected but StellarFate punched back, shattering its enemy's armor with each blow. A powerful uppercut sent Prox Nemesis spinning into the air.

"Let's finish it," Red said softly.

"Fine with me," Pink echoed.

As one, the five called, "Atropos Shear!" Blades sprang from StellarFate's wrists, already glowing blue with power. StellarFate swung its arms wide and the energy from the blades flew through the air like darts and lodged in Prox Nemesis before sliding in opposite directions, slicing the monster to pieces. This time he didn't explode, the energy from the blades dissolved his body until nothing was left.

A streak of Fire flying over the horizon went unnoticed by StellarFate's pilots.

Soon Stellarman was back aboard the floating fortress Commander Thebes had left behind for them, cruising back to Cape Lombard to pick up Rose Valkyrie. After that, they had no plans as to where to go. The team had split up to explore their new home and settle in.

Valentine, tireless assistant as always, was manning a console in the mecha hangar's control room. Unlike back in Sol Dome, the equipment for repairing mecha was automated and she could run everything herself. Cranes suspended from tracks in the ceiling hauled StellarSavage upright and a number of robotic arms worked to mend the damage to its internal mechanisms and then its sundered armor. Cliff had asked the point was with a new, far superior Ptolemic Titan at their disposal, but Daniel preferred to have every resource they had available. Valentine wasn't so cliched as to see the hulking inanimate robot as a relation of hers, but still she couldn't help but feel some sympathy for all the abuse it took.

An intercom next to Valentine crackled to life suddenly, startling her. "Val, would you mind telling me where Daniel went?" Aki asked.

"He asked not to be disturbed."

"Valentine, just tell me. I'm too tired to put up with that kind of crap."

"He…he's up on the top floor, on the northern point, west side."

"Bless your little circuits, Val."

The elevator in Crux was so fast Aki felt like her stomach was being pushed into her feet when all of a sudden the doors split open. She walked out into a hallway with a window running its length. And looking out over the decimated landscape was Daniel Reese, the light of the circuitry under his skin contrasting with the red glare of the sky.

"Thinking about Erica?" she asked.

"Thinking about a lot of things," he replied without turning to look at her. "I was seriously considering a major right before we went to Ikardaa. Now…well, what the hell am I supposed to think?"

She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "None of us were expecting to come back to this."

He brushed it off. "Damn it, ever since I ran away from home I've just been wandering through life letting things take their course. I joined Stellarman because I hoped I'd find some direction, but my school's gone, my uncle's probably dead, and I bet legally I am too. Things are more confused than they ever were."

Aki looked over the landscape, miles and miles of charred countryside and the jagged skyline of Cape Lombard coming into view over the horizon.

"And yet," she said wistfully. "Things are a little clearer."

"What?"

"Daniel, do you know why I said I'd join when Thebes asked?"

"Why?"

"Because it gave me an excuse not to be around my family. Don't get me wrong, I hope they're okay. But all eyes aren't on me to set an example for the kids, to get married and be a loving homemaker."

Daniel gave her an incredulous look. "You set an example?"

Aki laughed. "See how stupid that sounds? Look, maybe this isn't the world we left, but we probably won't get another invitation to Ikardaa."

"Probably not."

Aki rested both her hands on his shoulders, and this time he didn't brush them away.

"We'll figure out a way, Daniel. Maybe after this is over we'll go somewhere together without any Vayons or parents around to give us a hard time."

He smiled. "Yeah. After this is over."


	28. Phase 27: Glimpse

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 27: Glimpse

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

It occurred to Erica to be amazed at how little of her attention her task required.

From every pinprick of light against the blackness surrounding her, she felt tiny slivers of Starlight flowing into her being, as they had for hours. After simply willing the energy to start collecting within her, she'd been left with nothing to occupy herself but her own thoughts.

She scanned the field of stars for the forty-fourth time and wondered which of them might be Earth's sun. For the thirty-sixth time she wondered how long it might take her to get there if she could identify it, and for the twenty-fifth time if Meghris-her "father"-could do anything about it if she tried.

Erica sighed. She realized she was one-of-a-kind. The only Shakai to be born to two other Shakai. Ever. In the universe. But the Shakai had families with members of the species they helped, right? Shouldn't Thebes and Meghris have learned a few things about treating their child like a thinking being? Sure, a lot of parents never quite seemed to grasp that, but they weren't exactly normal parents. They'd had enough families and raised enough children to know what to expect. Then again, had they raised their children…?

After a while she felt a slight stinging around her skin, or whatever it was in this form. Rather than being repelled, she sighed in relief. Her gathering operation was finally over.

Erica turned and flew back to the smooth metal ball below her, an orifice opening in its surface as she approached and sealing itself behind her once she could see the familiar city below, lit by the brilliant dome that was its internal sun.

Giving into an urge for the theatrical because she knew it would irritate Meghris, Erica cupped her hands and shaped the Starlight she'd accumulated into a sphere. With a yell no one else could hear, she hurled it into the artificial sun. The sun flickered faintly, then its glow returned, brighter than Erica had ever seen it. Even though she hadn't even noticed the cold of space in the hours she'd been out there, there was no mistaking the heat radiating from the sun.

That's finally done, she thought. Maybe now I'll have some time to look for a way out.

She flew over the city back toward the small palace she'd come to call home, hearing thanks called in a dozen languages she had been more than a little surprised to understand. Another benefit of the full extent of her powers. As she cruised along she heard something else there was no mistaking; a lewd whistle.

Erica sped on, her cheeks turning a darker purple as she realized she'd totally forgotten about how she went around bare. It simply hadn't entered her mind with all the thoughts of what she really was and plotting her escape. With a twinge of fear, the possibility occurred that with all the time she was spending away from Earth, acting out the part of an alien princess, she was losing touch with who she had been.

No! Not who she'd been, who she was! She was Erica Thebes, StellarRose. Blooming salvation. Proud to be the sixth member of Stellarman.

Somehow, she'd get back. Somehow, she'd join her comrades in battle against Proxordo. Yes. Somehow, she'd get back to that toxic dirt ball Vayon wanted so much.

Somehow.

As she came in for a landing on the balcony of her room, Erica saw to her dismay someone was waiting for her. Dismay, because she already knew who it was. Sitting on the bed facing her, his familiar blank façade looking her way, was Meghris. "The sun ought to operate for another two hundred years or so. Not bad."

"Not bad? Is that all I'm worth?"

He sighed in what sounded like very human aggravation. "Still making the adjustment, I see."

"Can you blame me? It hasn't even been a week, has it? It's impossible to tell time in this place," Erica countered.

"You'll learn patience as you settle into the truth of your life. I did."

"I thought you were the only Shakai still around. You're pretty sure of yourself."

He chuckled a little but it sounded more like a wheeze. "You've no way off Ikardaa, and I can't perform the feats the people here depend on to keep them safe. You fancy yourself some kind of hero, thanks to your mother. The people of this planet already lost their homes, you're not about to cost them this one, are you?"

Erica clenched her fists, but said nothing.

"As I said, your job wasn't bad. Feel free to get settled in, but in three hours you'll need to leave on debris patrol. The surface is still under repairs from the last time we were hit…" Meghris said.

"Yes, sir. Anything you say, sir."

"Don't think I don't know what you're really thinking as you say that," Meghris warned. "You're Ikaradaa's guardian now, and don't forget it."

* * *

"It's still hard to believe it's all gone," Caitlin sighed and looked out the window at the blazing sky and the distant shapes spouting Vayon's gift into the atmosphere.

"Well, not all of it. Just most," Valentine replied, sounding like she knew full well how limp it sounded.

"Oh yeah, Daniel had you find out what's left, didn't he?'

"Yep, you remembered. Guess I'm not really surprised."

Caitlin shrugged and smiled wanly. "I'd kind of like to get all the fighting over with. Knowing the plan seems like a good way to make that happen faster."

Valentine nodded and smiled a little herself. "Frankly, I'm…worried about what happens it's all over."

Caitlin chuckled and shook her head. "We won't turn you off after this is over, if that's what you mean." "Not exactly, but, hrm…never mind," Valentine said, sounding a bit irritated.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's just go find the others," the robot said and walked on. Caitlin shook her head and followed. They walked into the arm of their new floating base set aside for a gym. Like their old one, most of it was take up by a bare floor with a small room off to the side with exercise equipment. Bohdi was in that little room, sitting on a mat, his eyes shut in meditation. A twinge of jealousy welled up in Caitlin. When she tried to close her eyes and push her problems out of her mind, they just came back even bigger a second later.

Sprinting along a track suspended from the ceiling were Daniel and Aki. Aki was grinning like a maniac as usual, but to Cailtin's surprise, so was Daniel as he pushed hard to catch up. He was a good-natured guy, but usually he seemed a little more reserved…

"Oh good, you're here," Daniell called and came to a stop. "Anybody seen Cliff?"

"No," Caitlin replied, sounding almost dismissive.

"I'm right here," he said, leaning against the doorway. "Glad to see everybody missed me."

"We'll be right down," Aki called, and she and Daniel vanished into a doorway above, talking back and forth. As they did, Cliff came over.

"Catie?"

"Yes, Cliff?"

"What did you see? When you went back home and ran into your friend."

"There were no bodies or anyone around. The only thing left was the old swing. What do you care?"

"Just cuz they were a pain doesn't mean I want mom and dead or anything."

" 'Just because,' huh? Whatever," Caitlin sighed.

Aki and Daniel emerged onto the lower level, changed out of their sweats. "Guys, could everybody follow me please?" Daniel said, and as usual led the way out of the gym and down the hall. He stopped in front of a door in the side wall that led into a room that was empty except for a long rectangular table in the middle. Daniel approached it, then unstrapped his Battle Dealer and laid it on one end of the table. Then he fished into a pocket, and his hand came back out with the cards he'd used with it. "Everybody?"

"Somebody want to tell me what we're doing?" Cliff asked, but it was hard not to notice a lot of the usual force was missing from his snide tone.

"Closing the book on an era of Stellarman's history, I'd guess," Bohdi replied, placing his Battle Dealer and cards beside Daniel's.

"It's a good one," Daniel said. "This room was left over after they finished building Crux, so I decided to make it into a museum. Even if the only thing it'll have right now is the Battle Dealers.

"Things are different now, really different, but I'd like to make sure we have reminders of where we've been. That no matter what happened, we gutted it out and won in the end."

"That's really cute," Aki smiled and added her Battle Dealer and cards to the table, then Bohdi.

Cliff shrugged and unfastened his Battle Dealer. "This thing was always like a toy anyway."

Caitlin looked down at the case containing the obsolete enhancement gear Commander Thebes had given them to help them survive their first great challenge. Now she was gone, and they were left to face an even greater challenge all by themselves. She let out a sigh that actually did vent some of her frustration and placed the last Battle Dealer and set of cards on the end of the table. A glass top lowered from the ceiling and covered the devices.

The other five exchanged glances. Valentine was the first to speak up. "You okay, Catie?"

"No. I'm sick of this and I want it to be over. I have no idea how you can be so cool about all this, Daniel," Caitlin said. "Thebes is gone, Cape Lombard's gone, Erica's gone…We didn't come back to Earth, this is some other planet."

Daniel sighed. "What do you want me to say, Catie? I'd love it if we had Thebes back, if I knew how to go back to Ikardaa and bring Erica back home. If that's even where she is. But I don't. I'm trying to do the job we've always tried to do, but it from now on we have to figure things out for ourselves."

A solemn silence filled the air. Bohdi was the one who broke it.

"So what exactly is our next move?"

"The answer to that depends on some valuable intel I asked Valentine to get together for us. Val?"

"Well, um," she began uncertainly. "I've been asked to do a rundown of the surviving world capitals. I'm afraid the report's kinda grim…Washington, D.C.'s gone. London's gone, Caracas, Beijing, Athens…which makes the plan a little iffy."

"What plan?" Caitlin prodded.

"Daniel, well…he wants to go on the offensive. It seems like most of the governments tried to lie low and hoped Vayon ignore them or something. They've fought off some Proxordo attacks but only a few tried to team up. Daniel hopes we can convince the surviving militaries to help us deal with Proxordo."

"That's a big job, even for us, don't ya think?" Aki asked.

Daniel nodded. "Absolutely. I mean, old grudges die hard, and from what we can tell Vayon hasn't been actually attacking anyone unless they try to stop him from putting up those giant crystals. We think a lot of countries are hoping Vayon won't get aggressive if they just let him do what he's doing."

"And what do you guys think he's actually doing?" Cliff asked.

A beat passed. "We're not sure," said Daniel, "but with the way Vayon's always been about his grand vision to remake the world, we don't think he's putting all that Fire up there for no reason. That's why we want to unite everybody before it's too late."

Bohdi crossed his arms. "Don't you think Vayon's likely to notice us going around trying to form a global alliance, though?" he asked.

"If it's just us, yes," Daniel admitted. "That's why we're going to start with another alliance. We're going to ask the other teams to help us do it. Catie, do you think you can get in touch with your friend on the dragon team and help us get started?"

"Yeah, I think so," Caitlin said, suddenly feeling better. "I'll go do that."

"Thanks, Catie." As she left to contact the other team, Caitlin paused for a second outside the door when she hear Aki speak up.

"You really planned this out, huh? Be careful."

"I will," Daniel replied. "The fate of the world's riding on this."

"Not that. You, well…sometimes you seem like you just put here to fight. Don't get carried away with that, okay? You still have a life to live after this is over, remember?"

"One miracle at a time, Aki."

* * *

Haikoga paced as the Risen placed the hunks of crystal they'd been sent to retrieve onto platforms hovering a few inches off the ground. He scanned the tall purple trees surrounding the clearing where they'd gathered the ore, alert for any sound or hint of movement besides the grunts of the useless metal men.

Something bothered the reptilian commander about this place. In the back of his mind, he had a feeling he should know something about it, and he'd felt it ever since he'd stepped out the other side of Vayon's portal to arrive there. He circled the clearing again, hoping to see, hear, even smell something to tip him off.

An eight-winged insect buzzed by his face and without thinking Haikoga lunged forward and snapped it up in his powerful jaws. It had a surprisingly soft, rich taste that made his eyes go wide.

"Where is this place?" he whispered.

"Dimension I-Gamma-Tri, sir," the Amp-Risen directing the lesser ones replied. "I don't know much about it myself-"

"No, you wouldn't, would you? Your only concern is for that planet we're helping Vayon destroy, isn't it?" Haikoga huffed in annoyance. Underneath his armor, his scales started to itch painfully.

From the forest came a rustling and Haikoga tensed, then launched himself at its source. He didn't expect a threat, but he was hoping something to kill would help work off his inexplicable tension.

He tackled it to the forest floor, roaring at the top of his lungs. When he looked down and saw what he'd caught, the roar turned into a gasp.

It was a reptilian creature with a heavy tail and a long alligator-like mouth. Just like him.

"Haikoga!" It wasn't the Risen but the reptile creature who gave the cry. An amused huff escaped his throat.

Even more surprising, he spoke in a guttural language Haikoga realized he could understand. "Where have you been? We haven't seen you since…well, you ought to know!"

"I've never seen you before," Haikoga replied in that same guttural speech. "But…I can't remember far back either…"

The other reptile got to his feet. "Who are they?" he indicated the Risen with a tilt of his head, who were watching the conversation uncertainly, none of them able to understand what their leader was saying to this other member of his kind.

"Idiots who think they can save their world by tearing it apart. We came here to find crystals that let them pollute their skies with fire."

The other reptile tilted his head in confusion. "Their world?"

"Never mind," Haikoga grunted. "Now, you answer my question. Who do you think I am?"

"Why, you're from the same clutch I am! You were always the strongest, though. We'd fight together but you'd always win…You really don't remember me? Ramyr?"

One of the Risen called. "Sir, should we be getting back?" "Yes, take Vayon's precious rocks to him. I'll follow when I'm done here." "But sir, we're supposed to close the portal once we're through and the mission's complete. For you to stay here-"

Haikoga growled and the Risen waved his fellows through the churning portal they'd taken to this strange world. The Risen pushed their platforms laden with ore through the portal one by one, and then the guards standing on either side followed them through.

Rid of his entourage, Haikoga turned to the other reptile. Ramyr. He tried to push his memory back as far as he could, to remember the name, or even better, the face. All that came back was pushing himself off the floor of a forest clearing with a man clad from head to toe in gold armor standing over him.

Haikoga remembered feeling his strength fading with every second, sure that death would come to claim him at any moment. He recalled thinking Vayon was some kind of god or spirit of death, though he just…couldn't recall the name. Instead, Vayon had touched his staff against three deep, bleeding gouges on Haikoga's chest. Within seconds they'd closed up and his strength was returning. He still had scars under the new white flame-inscribed breastplate Vayon had given him to go along with the greater powers Vayon had also given him.

But try as he might, still nothing came when he tried to think of Ramyr. His…brother, if the reptile's words were to be believed. "I'm sorry," Haikoga sighed. "I can believe we've met, but I don't remember it. All I remember is one of those people saving my life. I…wouldn't be surprised if someone I know had something to do with that."

Ramyr clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're in there somewhere. I can see the Haikoga I knew in those eyes. If you have to pay off a debt, that's fine. We'll wait until you can come back to us."

Haikoga repeated the coordinates the Risen had used for this world. I-Gamma-Tri. I-Gamma-Tri. I-Gamma-Tri. "I'd better leave before Vayon comes looking for me. But…once he destroys his world, I'll see about coming back to this one."

Ramyr chortled. "Loyal to a fault, as always, if you're serving someone who wants to destroy their own world. I know I'll see you again. Until then…"

Haikoga grunted once, then scuttled through the portal. He heard Ramyr calling after him, "…we'll be waiting."


	29. Phase 28: Stalked

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 28: Stalked

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

In a curtain of the Fire of Truth, Rogyre Vayon watched again as the flickers showed Prox Nemesis being sliced to pieces by an attack from StellarFate and disintegrating the beast before it could revive itself again.

With a disgusted sigh he waved his staff and the Fire dispersed. Of all those teen warriors who'd sprung up to oppose him, who'd been dogging him every step of the way as he prepared Earth to be cleansed, somehow he'd always known that if any of them could defeat his greatest creation, it would be Stellarman.

The first. The most dogged. The most deadly.

He had lost the occasional Truthbringer and Veritium pillar to those that had come after them, but all the same he was making progress. One only had to observe the sky to see that. But now that Stellarman had returned, more powerful than ever…

Imperceptibly the door opened behind him, and he stood. Without turning around, Vayon commanded, "Dione, report."

His assistant floated quickly across the room and hovered by his side. "Haikoga's detachment is back from the other dimension. They managed to collect 34% more ore than we had projected. However…"

"However?"

"They haven't left the reentry room yet," Dione explained, a touch nervously.

"No need to worry. He's probably telling them to shape up after some near-miss during the gathering operation," Vayon waved it off.

A beat passed. Dione didn't leave, having delivered her report. "Yes?" Vayon asked curtly.

"Vayon…sir," Dione said uneasily. "Are you sure it was wise sending Haikoga to that dimension?"

"I need you on this planet, and Kamandetes is busy with his little project. Besides, there's nothing for him to find."

"But sir," Dione protested, "if I might say so, you were still new to your gifts…"

Vayon laughed. "Calm yourself, my dear. There have been a few setbacks, but everything is going according to the plan I was shown."

"You were shown a plan?" Dione asked. Even she'd never heard about this.

"Oh yes," the master of Proxordo smiled. "Shall I tell you what it was?"

* * *

Some of the strain and frustration that had been building up inside her leaked away as Caitlin regarded the holographic likeness of Genny Delicos. The image streamed from the tip of her Stellphone, and it smiled warmly at her.

"How's it going, Catie? You going to join us after all?"

"Not exactly," Caitlin explained. "Stellarman got back together, and we're trying to get all the other teams that popped up onboard for this big plan our leader has. I was hoping you could talk to your team and convince them to hear us out."

"Sure! I'll ask Alex right now! But…are you okay? You look like you haven't slept in a week," Genny said. "I mean, it's hard to tell like this, but…"

It didn't speak well of her, she was sure, but Caitlin couldn't deny she felt a little satisfaction welling up at someone else being worried about her after all the years she'd spent doing it for everyone around her. "I am kind of tired, yeah. It's been a while since our last fight with Proxordo, but we've been busy training with the new powers and everything…"

"You have new powers? That's awesome! You totally have to show me after I talk to Alex!" Genny gushed. Caitlin chortled to herself.

"I will. You can even show me your scars, if you still want to," Caitlin replied. "But seriously, talk to your teammates. This will be big."

"Sure! TTYL, Catie!" Genny said, then flicked off the transmission. Caitlin walked out of her room and back to the meeting hall where Daniel and Bohdi were consulting a holographic map on the table. She could just make out the shape outlined on the map as Florida, with several unfriendly red dots on various places. One marked the spot where Cape Lombard had been.

They looked up as she entered the room. "How'd it go?" Bohdi asked.

" 'Sure! TTYL!' "

"Um, great," Bohdi replied and looked away, looking discomfited. Caitlin smiled a little.

"Feeling better, Catie?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah," was all she said as she sat down across from him. "Where'd everybody go? Talking with friends they have on the other teams?"

"Val went to get back to work fixing StellarSavage," Bohdi explained. "It's more damaged than it's ever been. Daniel wanted her to take a break, but she said how important it was we have every single weapon we've got available." Daniel looked a little sheepish.

Caitlin nodded. "She doesn't get tired, does she? You can't really help thinking she does, though."

"Not since Thebes put in her Genuine People Personality," Bohdi said, and both Daniel and Caitlin gave him a bewildered look. "What? You guys haven't read that?"

Daniel waved it off. "As for everyone else, Cliff and Aki went to think. On opposite ends of the ship. I think they're still dealing with what we came back to."

"And you guys aren't?" Caitlin probed.

"I grew up someplace just as unfriendly with weapons a lot crappier than the ones I have here. And no one willing to watch my back," Bohdi replied.

Daniel sighed and shook his head. "I'm trying to head things off before they get worse."

"Aki was right, you do act like you were born just to fight," Caitlin said wryly.

He clenched the table. "Catie, why did we stick with this so long when our enemies got stronger and stronger all the time and our own powers started to backfire on us? Because somebody had to and it so happened we were the best-equipped to do it. Don't start mocking me when things are worse than ever."

"Chill out, Daniel," she said. "Of course I'm with you. But lighten up. We need a leader who's a person, not a John Wayne character."

Bohdi shook his square head. "I don't mean to fault your logic, but think about what we're planning. We're taking it upon ourselves to lead the entire world against Proxordo. Come on, Caitlin, we can't afford to treat this like a social outing."

"That's enough," Daniel said, raising a warning hand. "Catie, let me know when your friend gets back to us with the details. Bohdi, go tell Valentine to take a break and see if you guys can get in touch with someone from the other teams. We have to get this going before Vayon decides to come looking for us. Or worse."

Bohdi grimaced. "If I were him, I'd be looking for us already."

"We'll be careful," said Caitlin, not in the mood to let the tension in the air build.

"I know," Daniel said simply.

Bohdi rose from his seat. "I'll go get things going with Valentine."

"Thanks."

Bohdi left. A silent moment passed.

"What are you going to do?" she asked just to break it.

He struck a few keys in front of his chair and the map of Florida changed to a star field. "Try to find exactly where Ikardaa is…Tell your friend we'll have the meeting in Miami. Center of town, if that's good for them. There's none of those crystals around so Proxordo probably doesn't have anyone stationed there."

Caitlin nodded and slipped out of the room. She doubted Daniel had even noticed her go. Still, a part of her felt better knowing he was looking for Erica, even if his chances of success were almost zero.

As she walked down the hall with no destination in mind, her Stellphone rang at her. She smiled a little as she unhooked it and hit the receive button, and Genny's beaming face appeared above it.

"Great news! I talked to Alex and he wants to talk about this alliance right away!"

"That was quick," Caitlin nodded.

Genny giggled. "Yeah, well…he's like Stellarman's number one fanboy. You have no idea how disappointed he was when you didn't stick around before."

"Well, now he can meet all five of us."

Genny's face fell a little. "Just five?"

"StellarRose is…gone," Caitlin sighed. "We're trying to get her back, but to be perfectly honest I don't like our chances."

"Well, it's still good to know you guys are back in business. Where do you want to meet?"

"Miami, near the center of town. As far as we can tell Proxordo doesn't have a presence there," Caitlin explained.

"Great! See you there!" Genny said and closed the link.

Crux zoomed down the coast.

* * *

The Miami skyline looked like a giant Truthbringer had leaned down and taken a bite out of it when it came into sight. Which wasn't a possibility any of them were prepared to discount, all considered. Crux slowed and a beam lanced from the underside of its hub, and the five youths appeared below it. Then Crux moved over the nearby water and lowered itself in until it had sunk out of sight.

"All right everybody, I know we only pick up Proxordo's guys around those big crystals, but I want everyone to keep their eyes peeled just in case," Daniel warned them again.

"Yessir!" Aki said with a full salute. Daniel quirked an eyebrow but said nothing as he led them into the desolate city.

Bohdi scanned the buildings and alleys with a hunter's eye for any sign of movement, but the only living things around were the odd stray dog that dashed out of sight as soon as it noticed them. The others looked around as well, but mainly kept their eyes to the sky for any sign of incoming dragons.

They didn't have long to wait. Soon a guttural roar split the air, and a saurian head atop a long, sloping neck appeared over a collapsed building. It was an effort for all of them not to raise their rings and ready themselves for battle.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," a male voice chortled.

"Catie?" Daniel asked without taking his eyes off the dragon.

"That's the voice of their leader, definitely," she answered.

A second later five other youths had appeared from alleys on either side of the building, Genny and the one Caitlin recognized as Alex grinning like maniacs. The members of Dracon V took in Bohdi's hulking figure and the circuitry shining beneath Stellarman's skin with wide eyes, but Caitlin noticed them grinning as they whispered to each other.

Alex immediately zeroed in on Daniel and vigorously shook his head. "Sir, I want you to know right now it's a pleasure to meet Stellarman. It was seeing you stand up to Proxordo all those times that convinced me to put Dracon V together and keep up the fight."

Daniel smiled gently and returned the handshake. "Appreciate it, but you don't have to 'sir' me. We're all in this together."

"Speaking of, are you sure we're alone?"

"Metal guys don't show up on life form scans," Aki pointed out.

Genny spoke up. "Anyway! What do we do now?"

"We go back to Crux," Daniel replied. "No reason to talk shop out here."

Daniel turned and started to head back the way he'd come, but Bohdi pressed a hand to his shoulder leader's shoulder as gently and unobtrusively as he could. "Something's here," the big alien whispered. "It's probably looking for an opportunity to attack."

The members of Stellarman could feel an energy radiating against their bodies, then their very beings. Rather than heat as they would've expected from Proxordo, it was like an icy breeze against their skin indicating a storm about to roll in. A moment later, something hurled itself out a second story window at them. Bohdi could just make out knife-like claws protruding from its fingers and a shaggy mane surrounding its head as he raised his ring and called out.

"Cosmic Ascension!"

Then the thing was among them, laughing and slashing at them with its vicious claws…


	30. Phase 29: First Steps

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 29: First Steps

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Author's Note: I take my projects and peoples' ability to enjoy them very seriously. If you've got an opinion on something I wrote, don't be afraid to share it, good or bad. If you're uncomfortable with what you've got to say sitting on the review page for the whole net to see, send me a p-mail.

Two members of Dracon V had been knocked down by their clawed attacker before the tingle of transformation had even faded from StellarPink's body. It lunged next at Genny, but StellarPink hurled herself at it, her tonfas held in front of her to connect with the side of its head.

It landed nimbly and looked up at her, chuckling smugly. It had the face of a lion inside the wild mane atop its shoulders, but looking back at her were bright, intelligent eyes. She'd never noticed that about eyes in her entire life.

"And what problem of modern society are you supposed to be?" she said, aware of the pink flash signifying Genny's own transformation by her side but not taking her eyes off her opponent.

"The problem is my absence," it replied in a booming voice. "I am the courage to fight, to stand firm in the face of adversity. I am Prox Valor. Let me see how a fighter like yourself measures up, StellarPink. Face the Pride!"

Suddenly hovering, ghostly faces of lions appeared in the air in front of Prox Valor, emitting loud but hollow roars. All at once they flew like missiles toward the two teams, leaving smoking trails behind them.

StellarPink clenched her teeth, gripped her tonfas tightly, and rushed him. One of the leonine faces dove for her neck but she raised one tonfa and it exploded on the edge of her weapon. Another lunged for her legs but she jumped, stapped down with the pointed end of one tonfa and shattered the ghostly projectile. Two more flew at StellarPink as she landed in a crouch, but she lashed outwards in a wide arc with her weapons held with the battering arm facing out, and sliced right through them.

Then she pounced at Prox Valor, but he suddenly swung one of his thick legs and caught her on the chin. He dove for StellarPink's neck as she hit the ground, but a pair of glistening energy beams ripped into his chest and pushed him back a few steps.

"Oh no you don't," said Genny, brandishing the dual dragon-shaped pistols that were her trademark.

Prox Valor grinned, then dove at her instead.

Meanwhile the other eight punched, slashed and shot through the ethereal lion faces that seemed to come without end. Alex's saber chopped through three at once, even as another looped through the air straight for his back.

Then another blade flashed through the air, slicing the lion head into oblivion. It was StellarRed, his broadsword held high in readiness in case the barrage continued, but all throughout the street the hollow roars of the lion heads had faded.

"Where are the pinks?" StellarRed asked after doing a quick head count.

"There!" the black Dracon member pointed with one finger, as Genny went flying behind a decimated building from one of Prox Valor's kicks. He threw himself at StellarPink with his fists, who blocked them on her tonfas and clouted him across the chin with one.

StellarYellow was the first to move to aid them, but before he could finish three steps a line of shining discs appeared on the ground between them and their allies. From each disc sprang a Risen, their torches already aflame. "The Truth will prevail!" they screamed together, and charged to meet the eight warriors.

Genny's guns roared again and again, digging a line of missed shots in the ground as Prox Valor ran on all fours back and forth toward the two of them. He stopped once he was fifteen feet away and pounced, but StellarPink pounced at him in response. They collided in midair, with Pink smashing him in the side of the head with a powerful fist just as Prox Valor sliced into her back with his claws.

"You're no slouch, StellarPink," he said with something that sound ominously like respect.

"You should see me on a good day," she retorted. She kicked at his midsection only for Prox Valor to brush her leg aside and swipe at her head, but she ducked under his claws and smashed him on the jaw with an uppercut.

"Catie, duck!" Genny yelled, and as soon as she did peppered Prox Valor with her twin pistols. The shots singed his chest and arms, but he only grinned.

"Good, but not good enough!" he yelled. "Song of Valoooooooorrrrrrrrrrr!" His yell quickly turned into a roar, one that tore into their bodies as well as their ears. Genny sank to her knees, but StellarPink clapped a hand on her shoulder.

"Get him in the mouth or eyes, but do it fast!" she cried into Genny's ear. Genny nodded, raised a pistol and fired. A glistening pink bullet shot from the muzzle and dug into Prox Valor's left eye. His attack stopped as he clutched his wounded eye, and by the time he opened it again, StellarPink was ready. Crux had linked her two tonfas into a single long shaft. Holding it in one hand and pulling back the other, a glowing bowstring and arrow appeared.

"Shining Arrow!" StellarPink called, then let it fly. The arrow shot clean through Prox Valor's chest. He looked down at his wound with an expression of disbelief on his face for a second, then it turned to one of amusement.

"Well fought," he said, saluted the pair and fell down dead.

"That was great, Catie!" Genny gushed. "I mean I knew you were a badass from that time with the acid bubble monster, but…wow! I didn't know you were THAT badass!"

"I'm as surprised as you. I wasn't sure that would actually work," StellarPink replied, thinking how much she'd sounded like her little brother when Prox Valor had complimented her. God, it wasn't bad enough they'd come home to an obliterated Cape Lombard, now she was starting to sound like Cliff.

"You all right?" Genny asked, touching her shoulder.

"Yeah, I just can't wait for this to be over." "Hey, us too. Let's get back and see how everybody else is doing."

Quite well, as it turned out. StellarBlack swung his three-section-staff through four Risen trying to surround him. One sweep knocked the weapons from their hands, but one Risen, undaunted by being disarmed, tried to grab Black's arm. He swung again at that brash combatant, denting his breastplate. The Risen collapsed, clutching his chest and moaning in pain. The others backed away, not looking eager to join their wounded compatriot.

Alex and his black and yellow teammates joined hands with him, then said together, "Dragon Wings, Take Flight!" From their joined hands formed a three-headed dragon that flew above a group of Risen, then spewed three jets of fiery breath over them. Their screams died in their throats as they themselves keeled over, blackened and lifeless.

"What the hell are you doing?" screamed StellarRed, knocking the Risen he was sparring with senseless with a powerful blow from the flat of his blade before running over. "They're not the ones behind this! Those are just people Vayon suckered into fighting for him!"

Even as the words left his mouth, a metal arm landed at his feet. He looked up to see StellarYellow with battleaxe in hand facing down a one-armed Risen, who didn't even scream in agony before he turned and ran.

"Look around, boss-man," he said, shouldering his axe. "They did all this. Don't you think maybe it's gotten a little past us to be nice anymore?"

Alex met StellarRed's eyes, his shoulders slumping in shame. "I'm sorry, I didn't think…we've just always been doing that when we fought Proxordo."

The rest of the Risen had evidently realized this was a battle they weren't going to win, and those who still could ran for all they were worth into fiery portals that opened up to enable their retreat. Once they were gone, Black came up to Alex.

"My home isn't very much unlike this, but to actually watch it happen…I don't envy you," he said.

StellarRed pressed a palm to the back of his head for a second before he managed to push what he'd just seen happen from his mind. "Where's Catie?"

"Why? You trying to hook up with every girl on this team now?" Yellow asked, and was almost bowled over when Blue smacked him on the back of the helmet with the shaft of her trident.

"It's okay, Daniel. We beat the Truthbringer," StellarPink said, stepping into view.

"Well, Catie did most of the work," Genny said.

"Good. Look, we'd better get going. Even if those Risen don't know what we're planning they still know we're here," said StellarRed.

As he said that, a giant pillar of fire erupted from where Prox Valor had fallen. The ten of them watched without surprise as it formed into arms and legs, and then solidified into a giant likeness of Prox Valor, the tawny hair of his mane tossed by the wind.

"A new dawn, a new battle! Are you ready to face it like true warriors, Stellarman?" he challenged with a voice that shook the ground.

StellarBlack activated his Stellphone. "Valentine, send the Z-Machines" he ordered.

"It'd be an honor if you'd let us fight with you," Alex said.

"The pleasure would be all ours," StellarRed replied.

Alex nodded. "Everybody ready?"

"Yes!" the other four replied.

"Then…Let us fly high, on the wings of victory!" The five dragons took off, swooped over them and Dracon V disappeared. Yet Stellarman had no problem hearing Alex as he spoke the words "Dracon Fusion!"

As Stellarman had come to expect, the five dragons locked together, reshaped and in instants a metal giant with a dragon-like head and a broadsword strapped to each shoulder stood opposite Prox Valor. "Dragon Fighter, complete!"

The Truthbringer immediately jabbed with his wicked claws, but in a flash one of Dragon Fighter's swords was in its hand and parried the jab. It whisked its other sword free and slashed Prox Valor across the chest and he staggered backwards with a roar of pain as the Fire of Truth poured from his wound.

"Well met! But can just one of you face the Pride again?" Prox Valor shouted. At once Dragon Fighter was pelted by ethereal lion heads. The metal warrior sliced at the ghostly barrage, but they kept coming, exploding as they collided with Dragon Fighter again and again. Finally it was knocked onto its back.

"Star Cross!" StellarRed's voice roared from behind Prox Valor. He turned just in time to catch a punch to the face from StellarFate. He went sprawling from the titanic blow, and StellarFate pulled Dragon Fighter to its feet while Prox Valor jumped back up, an ecstatic leer on his leonine face.

"Two powerful opponents! If I'm to die this day, this is how I would've chosen it!" Prox Valor said, then dove at StellarFate with his claws outstretched.

"Fate Shield!" Stellarman called. A transparent circular shield formed on the pod mounted on its outstretched arm and Prox Valor rammed it to without doing any damage. Before he managed to recover, Dragon Fighter raked his side with a swing of its swords.

Prox Valor gasped and ran on all fours to a safe distance and roared, "Song of Valoooooooooor!" The sonic bombardment washed over the two battle robots, but StellarFate held out its shield and began to wade through the destructive waves.

"Atropos Saber!" The pod on StellarFate's other forearm shimmered and a blade, transparent like the shield, extended from it. StellarFate jumped at Prox Valor, the blade raised over its head, but Prox Valor darted out of its way. Dragon Fighter charged at the evading monster, swinging its dual swords at Prox Valor from the left. The monster quickly brought up his claws and blocked the enormous weapons, but pain engulfed his body as the tip of StellarFate's blade erupted from his chest.

"That's not the way of a warrior…." he gasped.

"Tell that to someone who isn't fighting for a whole planet," StellarRed snarled back. The others exchanged uneasy glances. "Atropos Shear," StellarRed said, an identical blade forming from the pod where the shield had been. It impaled Prox Valor beside the other blade, then both sliced outward with the monster's fiery lifeblood trailing from them. Prox Valor let out a last roar and disintegrated into ribbons of Fire.

A moment passed, and StellarRed was the one to break the silence. "Hey, not to run out on you guys or anything, but it's probably a good idea if we don't stick around."

"Agreed," Alex said. "Good luck, Stellarman. We'll get word out to the other teams as quick as we can."

Dragon Fighter split back into its five component dragons and they flew away as Crux drifted over StellarFate and a glittering cone of energy transported it back aboard.

Stellarman disembarked from the battle robot and flickered back to their normal selves. Whatever that meant now, with the shimmering lines of circuitry beneath their skin forever marking them as what they truly were.

Daniel sighed. "Not as smooth as I'd hoped, but at least we got the ball rolling on this thing."

He started for the door, but Bohdi grabbed him by the shoulder. His grip was slight, but still conveying a clear message he wanted something from Daniel, who looked back at him questioningly.

"Daniel, what was that back there with the monster?" he said.

He pushed Bohdi's hand off his shoulder. "We've got bigger things to worry about here than living up to the moral standards of one of Vayon's stupid monsters. What do they know anyway? Just whatever Vayon decides to put in their heads."

"Do those bigger things include the lives of Risen?" Bohdi asked softly.

"What?"

"You heard me. You're saying we have bigger concerns, but you're still saying we need to go easy on the Risen. Can we really have it both ways like that?"

Caitlin interrupted them with a frustrated sigh of her own. "Leave him alone. We're all still trying to figure this out."

Bohdi folded his arms. "If we're going to put ourselves in charge of such a sweeping plan, shouldn't we make sure we've got it figured out first?" he countered.

"We'll talk it all out after step two," Daniel said. "Valentine, get us to the nearest one of those giant crystals."

"Why?" Aki asked.

"Because Dracon V walked right up to us. If we want other potential allies to know we're around again, we have to do big things to show them we can do what we say we're gonna," Daniel explained. "Like bust up Vayon's precious little crystals. Let's go."

A curtain of Fire slowly formed around Vayon and Dione. He'd told her often of the power it had to show him what was taking place far away during his meditations, but she'd never seen it herself. Likewise, she'd never heard that it could show the future.

Dione gasped as she saw Prox Valor sliced to pieces by StellarFate in the images displayed in the Fire, but Vayon gently shushed her. "You see something that disturbs you, my dear? Don't worry. The first thing I saw when the my eyes were opened by this glorious energy was that I would win."

"Tell me," she whispered. "Tell me what it showed you."

Vayon's eyes shone for a second and he spoke.

"A force will rise up to fight the Truth, and in the moment of the Truth's victory the force shall multiply.

The fingers of an avenging hand will reach to the heavens.

The forces of ignorance will rally around a powerful leader, desperately fighting to stave off their own extinction.

A great champion, fashioned by a mortal hand but wreathed in the Fire of Truth will smite those who hide behind ignorance.

The city of the faithful will return to earth, the hand will close and the Fire of Truth will burn away the forces of ruin."

Dione regarded her leader for a minute. "It sounds like we're already several steps into that prophecy…"

"Yes, the fingers have already reached to the heavens, haven't they? Preparations are being made to see to the rest," Vayon said with a confident smile.

"Steps are being taken?" Dione asked. "So then I'm not to assume that StellarBurn is the champion for our cause your prophecy mentions?"

"No," Vayon answered. "He was brought among us because we were still in the stages before the steps began to manifest, and I needed a powerful warrior to offset a growing threat in Stellarman. He'll either stand with us at our moment of triumph, or be removed. Whether it's Stellarman or I makes little difference."

Crux descended from its flight path as land came into sight, and especially the red crystal, taller than any skyscraper, shooting the Fire of Truth into the air.

"What do the defenses look like?" Daniel asked from the cockpit of StellarFate.

"Minimal, Daniel," Valentine replied as she observed the indistinct figures around the crystal's base. "They're probably planning to call for help if anything big comes up."

"Then we'll have to get in and out before they get the chance. Everyone ready?"

"I'm ready," Aki replied, but softly.

"Let's send them a message," Caitlin said, with Cliff shooting her an amazed look she didn't notice.

"Should we be careful not to stomp on any of the Risen?" Bohdi asked quietly.

"Try to keep casualties to a minimum," Daniel replied, raising his ring. "Cosmic Ascension!"

"Cosmic Ascension!" the others echoed, and even as light exploded from their rings and began to weave itself around them they could see StellarFate had been released from the hangar and was in a freefall toward the giant crystal. Tiny figures that could barely be recognized as Risen scattered as quickly as they could from where the enormous robot was about to land. Those that were too close were knocked off their feet by a massive rush of air as StellarFate hit the ground.

At once the battle robot swung its fist at the middle of the crystal and was rewarded with a crack and an earsplitting whine as the top half, broken loose by the punch skidded against the lower half. It toppled to the ground, shattering into millions of pieces of all sizes and forms as it did.

StellarFate wasn't done. Even as the damaged crystal continued to spout a thinner plume of Fire upwards, it kicked the crystal at its base, cracking it on the first try and sending it falling as well on the second. The release of Fire stopped, and at least in the immediate vicinity, the intensity of the red sky seemed to diminish ever so slightly.

"Is that it?" Yellow asked, unimpressed.

"Yes, that's it," Red replied. "We've got a ton more of these things to wreck, so let's get going."

Crux arced toward them, the lower doors of the flying fortress opening again as it approached. Then, another shape appeared out of the sky and buzzed past Crux, knocking it aside.

"What was that?" Yellow exclaimed.

"Two guesses," Blue groaned.

"Two's right, look!" Pink said. Indeed, it wasn't just one shape that had grazed Crux, but one carrying another in its talons. The first let the second go, then transformed into a humanoid shape. The other split into pieces then attached to the first. A second later it landed in front of them, leaving no doubt who the intruder was.

"Some things never change," Red sighed as Draco stood before them, clad in the armor of Monoceros, their stolen unicorn robot, but colored the same forbidding red as the warrior robot it now covered. It advanced on StellarFate, swinging Monoceros's sword…

Author's Note: Sorry if the action sequence at the beginning seemed kind of long, it's been a while since I wrote Sentai and I was reacquainting myself. Thanks to everybody who's still reading.


	31. Phase 30: Strange Meeting

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 30: Strange Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Draco brought its sword down on StellarFate, but the blade clanged off its Fate Shield. Before Draco could press its attack, StellarFate's fist slammed into its chest and lifted it fifty feet into the air.

"You're second-best now, Kyle!" Yellow yelled. "Get used to it!"

"Don't provoke the psychotic monomaniac, okay?" Red growled.

"Why not?" Yellow fired back. "You must be as sick of this guy as the rest of us with his stupid obsession about you. Let's finish this this!"

Draco flexed its gigantic wings, then crouched and jumped high into the air. "Atropos Shear!" the five called. StellarFate responded, shooting shimmering blades from the pods on its arms. Draco spun and weaved between them, then aimed itself headfirst at its towering opponent.

"Winds of Ruin!" A fiery bat-like shape flew from Draco's wings, seeming to grow until it stretched from nearly one side of the landscape to the other.

"Fate Shield!" Red screamed. StellarFate raised both arms in front of itself and a shimmering shield formed in front of the entire robot. Draco's projectile smashed into the shield, sending chips flying from the edges. It pressed forward into the shield, then, failing to push its way in its intended direction, the force erupted outward in all directions. StellarFate was blown off its feet to land by the edge of the water, undamaged but down.

Draco swooped toward the downed mech. StellarFate struggled to its knees just as Draco made a pass and slashed viciously with its sword. The blade bit into StellarFate's shoulder but again StellarFate's fist soared out and collided with Draco's side this time, forming a large crack.

"Damn," Burn muttered and swung the mace gripped in his robot's other hand. StellarFate reached out and caught Draco by the wrist just before the spikes connected with its midsection. StellarFate pushed the weapon back toward Draco, shoving it off-balance long enough to land another punch to the crack in Draco's side. Splinters of metal flew from the impact.

Suddenly Draco bent downward. "Winds of Ruin!" Burn yelled and the fiery projectile flew from its wings again. Fired from point blank Stellarman had no chance to defend themselves. The bat-like shot collided with StellarFate and exploded, knocking both mecha into the air again. StellarFate came down with a crunch that sent Stellarman tumbling down in a heap in the cockpit.

"Damage report!" Red yelled after pulling himself free of the tangle a second later.

"It looks like the force of the blast knocked the CPU out," Valentine dutifully responded over StellarFate's communicator. "Give it a minute to start up again and you should be fine."

"Not Kyle's little tin can, though," Yellow pointed out the windscreen. Their enemy's robot lay in a crater with its arms and legs bent at angles that were never intended. Sparks erupted from the gaping orifice StellarFate's fists had made in one side.

"All right, get this thing-" Red started to say.

"Already on it," Black cut him off as he clacked away at his console. The emergency lights in the cockpit flicked off, then a hum started deep within the robot.

"Thanks," Red said after an awkward pause.

"In a minute we can go crush Kyle like he deserves," Yellow laughed. "Finally!"

The communicator crackled to life again, but it wasn't Valentine's electronic voice that spoke this time. "Not bad, kids. But how about we settle this man-to-man?" Burn said, his tone challenging rather than taunting.

"Forget it!" Yellow shouted.

"I accept," Red replied.

"What?" four voices exclaimed at once.

"I knew it," Burn chuckled. "You're not some pussy who can let this end on anything except his own terms. See you in that crater where the crystal was in fifteen minutes."

"I'll be there," Red said and flicked off the communicator.

"You've got some brilliant reason for not just squishing Kyle where he is, right?" Blue asked uncertainly.

"As a matter of fact I do. Monoceros is wrapped all over Kyle's robot, right? While he's fighting me, not only can we get it back, we can steal Draco too. Think of the possibilities. We could cruise right up to Vayon's door and he'd never even know it was us."

"Because that worked so well last time…," Yellow said under his breath.

"Not bad," Pink said, nodding slowly.

"Yes, there's a certain sense to that," Black said slowly.

Red stood up and opened the hatch leading out. "Well people, you just heard the plan. Let's get going."

* * *

A column of Fire lanced up from the jagged stub of crystal dominating the center of the crater. Not nearly as high as the complete crystal had managed, but StellarBurn fired another blast of power from his fist into the crystal and the column jumped half as high again as the one before.

"This is all you do, huh? Shoot fireballs at things? Dang, even I have interests that don't involve the suit."

Burn turned toward the source of the voice, and saw someone who looked rather like StellarRed. That is, with a Taurus emblem dominating the chest of his uniform instead of the half-star design he'd once worn. "What happened to you? Finally realize you could never fill my old suit?"

StellarRed laughed and shook his helmeted head. "We went to another freaking planet together, and you're still that much of an idiot? And I don't only mean flying down to attack us because you got nothing better to do."

Burn bristled at the jibes. "And yet here you are, showing up to play my games. What does that make you?"

Red fell back into a defensive stance. "I'm the guy who's fed up with this and putting an end to it, right here."

"Blastfire!" Burn yelled in reply.

* * *

Stellarman looked out over the barren landscape beyond the crater. They'd let their powers fade for the time being, with no enemies beyond StellarBurn in evidence.

"Maybe I should go by myself," Bohdi said as cordially as he'd learned how.

"Do you have any idea how to fly that thing?" Aki asked, pointing a finger in the direction where they could just make out the tip of Draco's wing beyond a stand of scorched trees.

"Do you?" he asked back. "Look, I can get there faster on my own, and we don't know that Kyle's alone. Someone has to stay and guard StellarFate while Daniel's keeping him distracted."

"Let me go with you," Caitlin suggested. "If Kyle did bring some of his friends, you might need help."

"No offense," Bohdi whispered, "but leave those two to hold the fort?"

"It's not as bad as it used to be," Caitlin retorted.

"Not as bad as it used to be is still bad."

"What are you guys talkin' about?" Aki interrupted.

"Yeah, let's get this show on the road," Cliff added.

Caitlin sighed. "Aki, you go steal Kyle's robot with Bohdi. Cliff, you and I are going to stay and make sure he doesn't steal ours."

Cliff raised his hands in supplication. "All right, all right."

"Why me?" Aki protested.

"Because we need somebody dependable on this job and since Erica's gone, you're the only other choice."

"Whatever, we've wasted too much time already," Bohdi said and started off in Draco's direction with Aki trailing a few steps behind.

Every few seconds they could hear a crack or an explosion in the distance behind them, and listening to them Aki quickened her pace, soon overtaking Bohdi. He moved ahead again and stopped her with a hefty hand against her shoulder as they reached the edge of the trees obscuring Draco.

"You all right, Aki?"

"No," she replied curtly. "Let's get this over with."

Bohdi nodded and started weaving through the blackened trees with a speed and grace that seemed impossible for one of his size, making almost no noise as he went. Aki followed as quickly as she could. She'd been well-trained at the SDA, but this wasn't the kind of thing she'd been doing her entire life and to her frustration she started to fall behind. She was about to call Bohdi to wait up when she noticed a green blur hurtling toward him.

The thing rushed out in front of Bohdi and he pulled up short a few feet away. It was Haikoga, recognizable even with his new armor, but as Bohdi raised his ring the reptilian warrior held his thick arms above his head.

"I want to talk!" he exclaimed.

"Cosmic Ascension!" Bohdi yelled and two discs of black celestial energy wove his suit and its enhancements around him. Haikoga settled back on his legs as if ready to attack, but Black held up a hand.

"All right, talk.," Black prompted.

"I know you have every reason to think this is a trap, but I've got to stop Vayon," Haikoga said.

"This is kind of…abrupt," Black answered warily.

"I know, but…the earliest thing I remember is him telling me he saved me from some kind of horrific disaster. That I was the last of my kind. A while ago he sent me to another dimension, and I found out he lied to me."

Black regarded the reptilian warrior cautiously. "Go on."

* * *

"Blastfire!" Burn yelled and a fireball shot from his clenched fist. It hit Red full in the chest and he was only driven back half a foot by the impact. "Blastfire!" Burn yelled and fired his trademark attack again, and again the shot hit Red doing no damage.

"Not so hot anymore, huh?"

"Ha ha!" Burn let out a sarcastic laugh and charged Red, who charged in return. They collided and started trading punches and kicks. An uppercut from Burn caught Red on the jaw and he toppled onto his back. Burn jumped high and gleefully dialed into his Conflicter.

"Fist of Gehenna!" he screamed with glee as he came down, his fist aimed right at StellarRed's heart. He connected with the force of a wrecking ball, and that was before the flaming energy of his attack enveloped Red's body. All of a sudden, Red grabbed him by the wrist and flipped the surprised StellarBurn over.

Red jumped up, his uniform charred but intact. Burn landed on his feet and spin-kicked Red in the midriff, knocking him back toward the stump of crystal in the middle of the crater. Red whipped the grip hanging from his belt into one hand and its blade extended from the end as he raced at Burn.

Desperately, Burn flicked open his Conflicter and punched the keys in a sequence he'd almost never thought necessary. He was reaching for the last key when Red brought his broadsword down in a powerful stroke. It sliced into the armor surrounding Burn's chest and raised sparks from his uniform itself. Burn emitted a sound that would haunt his sleep for weeks to come.

He screamed.

But stayed in control long enough to press the last key in the sequence.

"Raging FIRESTORM!" he yelled as loud as he possibly could and pointed his hands at Red even as a tornado of pure energy whipped from his hands and blew Red across the crater. Red crashed into the far side, rolled to the bottom, but then shakily got onto one knee, braced himself with his sword as he got to his feet, and then started to cross the crater again to continue the fight.

"Blastfire!" Burn yelled as he called up his energies once again and sent a fireball sizzling toward StellarRed. To his surprise Red lifted his sword and deflected the fireball on the blade.

"Not bad, new kid…" Burn admitted. "Thebes didn't do so bad when she picked you to take over for me."

"You're still on that?"

"Why did you do it, Reese? What could possibly make you want to keep fighting Vayon, even after we came back to a planet like this?"

"I got an idea," Red countered. "Why don't _you_ tell _me_ why you said yes when Thebes asked you to put on the uniform."

"That's fair, isn't it?" Burn mused. "Fine then. I suppose I'll tell you. But drop your sword first."

Red retracted the blade of his sword and hung the hilt from his belt again. Burn looked at him again for a few second, only for Red to tell him, "That's the best you're gonna get out of me."

Burn shrugged.

"I suppose you'd say I didn't have a very nurturing childhood. I found out about my Starlight when I was only about seven. I don't remember exactly, I haven't tried to keep track of dates for a long, long time.

"My family was…not supportive when they out I could set trees and dogs on fire if I looked at them hard enough. I've still got scars from where dad and mom tried to pummel their dominance of me into that night, down in the basement where they were sure nobody could hear the screams. Sometime I'll have to show you the ones from the razor they used after I tried to fight back. Blinded mom's left eye on my first try.

"In a lot of ways, I blame them for how I turned out. At first I was just a kid trying to figure out how much control I had over the world. I might've learned some right and wrong about how to use Starlight eventually, if I hadn't learned I could use it to prove I'm the strongest. My parents thought they were, but when they tried to teach me a lesson, they taught me the opposite one."

"Oh come _on_," Red scoffed. "Like that was your only life experience? Like you never had any chances to learn about other directions you could've taken?"

"Do you think maybe there's a reason you never heard about a devilishly handsome dictator setting up his own little city-state in south Florida, Reese?" Burn laughed. "I did burn down the house with my parents inside one night, I won't deny it. I even stuck around to make sure they didn't get out when I probably should've run like hell. But that didn't mean I never had friends, or just the chance to see there's such thing as good people.

"But that's the exception. Most people are weak, panicky, back-stabbing, power-hungry, self-important, narrow-minded monkeys who think everything's out to get them. Are you saying I should feel bad for treating them like what they are, Reese?"

"But that doesn't answer the big question, does it?" Red interrupted. "Why did you sign up for a team meant to protect them if you've got such a clear worldview?"

Burn shrugged, then chuckled. "For the girls. For the chance to play at an even higher level."

"I was right all along. You're an idiot."

"Life's a game, I can just see the board," Burn retorted. "And you, I don't mind admitting, aren't bad."

"Not bad? I didn't even go a hundred percent," Red said. "You had to go all-out and I'm still up." "I told you my story, Reese. Let's hear yours," Burn reminded him.

Red unhooked the hilt from his belt. "Maybe I'd rather fight."

"What kind of superhero doesn't keep his promises?" Burn snarled.

"All right, all right. My story's kind of like yours. I found out about my powers when I was little, and my dad thought I had the devil in me or some damn thing."

"So what'd you do?"

"I left. I just got up one morning before my parents, and ran away."

"So why did you let Thebes talk you into taking my place?" Burn asked expectantly.

The blade extended from the hilt of Red's sword. "I asked you to tell me why you joined Stellarman.. I never said I'd tell you why I did. You want that one, you gotta earn it."

StellarBurn balled both of his fists. "You sneaky son of a-" Before he could finish StellarRed launched himself into the air and came down in front of Burn, already slashing with his sword. Burn leaped high and kicked him on the shoulder. The battle was joined again.

* * *

Haikoga fixed Black with an uncertain eye, then began his proposal. "You've got to understand, I never cared about Vayon's little crusade one way or the other. He'd told me his power brought me back from the brink of death, and he'd cut it off if I didn't agree to help him fight for his cause. But he lied to me about how I was the only one left. I've got to stop this somehow, so I can find out who I was before this started…"

"That's an interesting story," Black said. "And we're in a position where it's not in our interests to turn down any offers of help."

"So if I help you defeat Vayon, will you help me return to my home?" Haikoga asked, not hiding his eagerness.

"I'll do my best, but our powers are different from Vayon's. I don't know anything about travel to other dimensions," Black replied.

"Hold it!" Aki interrupted. "If we're going to accept this guy's help, he calls us, we don't call him. So Vayon doesn't find out where we're sending from."

"That's a good point, we should check up on how much of our network survived Vayon's little purge…"

"But you agree to help me?" Haikoga asked proddingly.

"If you want us to trust you just like that, help us get into the robot over there," Aki pointed toward Draco.

"Why?"

"Because we're gonna steal it," Aki explained.

Haikoga smiled a toothy smile. "My pleasure."

* * *

Aki transformed and hurried after Black and Haikoga as they weaved through the trees with a fluidity that didn't seem right even with their powers. Inside of a minute they came to a stop next to where Draco lay on its side, helpless with its pilot pursuing his chance to answer that all-important question of his.

"You don't happen to know how we get in, do you?" Blue turned to ask Haikoga.

"No idea. That stupid Fire of his take Vayon and his machines," the reptile grunted.

"That looks like a hatch on the side of the head," Black pointed. "We could probably get up there with one good jump, huh? What about you?"

"I can make it," said Haikoga.

Black jumped first with Blue right behind. Haikoga came up after them and came down like a bomb, landing on all fours. He scuttled over to the hatch Black had pointed out and clenched his enormous jaws around the release wheel. With one pull and a high-pitched shearing of metal the hatch dropped against Draco's shoulder.

"You take care of things from here, I'd better get back before I'm missed," Haikoga said. "You'll be hearing from me." He disappeared behind a veil of Fire.

Blue slipped inside first and positioned herself in the pilot's seat as well as she could with the robot laying on its side. "What's it look like in there?" Black asked.

"It's just like the controls in the old Ptolemic Machines. Guess Vayon's not big on new technology," she replied and started flicking the row of switches to bring the robot online again.

Draco jerked as it came online, then automatically started to right itself. It did something else as it finished reactivating, though. Draco let out a piercing, distressed roar from the bowels of its core.

* * *

StellarBurn gasped in pain as the tip of his opponent's sword bit into his chest. He jumped back, clutching at his wound. Red chased after him, unleashing a flurry of slashes and swipes. Burn clenched a fist behind his back as Red grazed his arm. Burn spun and kicked Red in the small of the back, and then he launched himself fist-first at Red's back. Flaming energy erupted from the impact. Red went sailing thirty feet through the air before he crashed into the slope of the crater and came rolling back down.

"I won, Reese," Burn said gloatingly, but his jaw dropped inside his helmet as Red got to his feet again. Slower than the last time, but he still got up and gripped the hilt of his sword with no mistake of his intention to keep fighting.

Burn clenched his fists, both glowing with the crimson Starlight he shared with his opponent. Before he could continue their fight, however, the sound of Draco's distressed roar filled the crater.

"You…sneaky…," Burn growled, then tossed back his head and laughed. "You're better than I thought, Reese. It almost worked, too! You seriously thought Draco didn't have an alarm?"

Burn thrust a fist in front of him and a wall of energy formed from it. It swept backwards until it enveloped him completely. In the blink of an eye he appeared again in the cockpit of Draco. Blue and Black barely had time to look up in surprise before Burn kicked Black out the hatch, grabbed Blue by the shoulders and heaved her after him.

StellarBlue crouched and launched herself at the opening into Draco's cockpit, but a fireball came flying out and exploded on her chest. She fell a hundred feet to the ground beside Black. Draco rose to its feet and Monoceros detached, reformed and vanished into a portal of Fire. Sparks and smoke pouring from its joints, Draco slowly converted to its dragon form and beat its wings until it got off the ground. Once it was airborne it vanished into a portal as well.

"I don't believe it," Blue hung her head. "We were that close…"

Black's Stellphone switched on. "Guys? Is everything okay?" Red called.

"Yeah," Blue answered. "We're all right. We blew it. Kyle got away. With both robots."

"I noticed. So much for that plan," Red sighed. "Not much of a day's work after all."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Daniel," Black replied.


	32. Phase 31: Link

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 31: Link

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Note: Sentai-Rider Fan has talked about setting up a Stellarman forum RPG on Henshin Heroes Proboards. I've given him my blessing, so if you're into that kind of thing, head on over and sign up.

Haven drifted along the skies above Earth's oceans, invisible to the operations that might still have been looking for it that hadn't yet fallen. In one of the many preparation bays lining the floating city's underside, Risen girded themselves for battle under the watchful eye of their newly-appointed Amp Risen.

"Faster!" she barked, jabbing one of her subordinates harshly with her torch, the igniting the tip in his face to show she meant business. "This is it! This is when everything planned happens! We have to be ready to make it happen at a moment's notice!"

The Risen scowled at her as soon as her back was turned, but kept suiting up. As he picked up his helmet and was about to lower it into its familiar its place over his head, however, it suddenly slipped from his hands and clattered around his feet. His commander whirled around, eager to see what kind of trouble he was getting himself into now.

Her torch dropped from her hand in surprise.

The far wall of the bay, which was the door that would open when it was indeed time for them to deploy, was glowing red and radiating such heat they could feel it all the way on the other end as they made their preparations. A second later it fell off its upper fastenings and then tumbled off entirely, allowing a spark-spewing robot dragon to land awkwardly inside the bay before collapsing.

And from the damaged warm machine emerged StellarBurn. Every Risen in the bay scurried out of his way, their task forgotten. Burn glared at their leader and pointed toward his robot. "Any one of you touches that dragon, I'll pull off all your heads. Get me?"

She nodded vigorously and Burn swept past her, opening a portal in front of him. He stepped out into the penthouse of the tallest tower in the city, right behind a blue-haired woman gazing out the window at the other glittering buildings blow.

Dione turned around and started to see Burn there, her shadow automatically whipping up with a life of its own and lashing its ephemeral claws at him. Burn lashed out as well with all of his Starlight, knocking the shadow back and tearing a whole the size of a house in the wall beside them.

"Where is he?" Burn demanded.

"Who?" Dione asked, still staggered by Burn's sudden appearance and display of power. "Master Vayon is in his chambers in mediation. He's not seeing anyone, least of all you, Kyle."

"Not him," Burn snarled. "The snake knight. He was in charge of building Draco, and now I need to talk to him about some upgrades."

"Kamandetes?" Dione gasped. "I don't know. And you've got no business asking favors from anyone in this city anyway."

Again Dione's shadow flew forward, solidifying into her ashen-skinned twin once again. Dishadow flew at Burn. He thrust his fist at her and a column of flame jumped at her, but she suddenly flattened again into a shadow again and darted underneath it. Dishadow reared up again as she neared Stellar Burn, then hissed "Shadow Bind!"

Her gauzy form stretched until it nearly brushed the walls then quickly closed around Burn, leaving him standing in a darkened void.

"Blast Fire!" he yelled before throwing a fireball from his outstretched fist, then the other. Then the first. The blackness enfolding visibly Burn recoiled like rubber before reforming itself.

Dione could see the light from Burn's shots even through the black dome in the middle of the room that was her more aggressive half's. Yet inside, a ghostly hand suddenly out of the blackness and lashed against Burn's arm. He grunted then slammed his fist into the ground. "Wheel of Helios!" he roared, and a ring of fire rushed outward. Dishadow's entire form glowed and swelled from the power of Burn's attack, but held.

"Stop!" Dione screamed, and after a few seconds Dishadow turned back into a ribbon of darkness and slithered across the floor to reattach to Dione's feet. The flames engulfing Burn had subsided but he stayed where he was, making no sign of removing himself from her presence. Dione spoke, "Kamandetes has been placed in charge of the development of a new weapon. It's being built where Detroit used to stand. You can't possibly miss it."

StellarBurn made a mock bow before vanishing into another portal. A few minutes later Dione could see the shape of a dragon winging away from Haven.

"Why'd you stop me?" Dishadow cackled in her twin's ear. "We were just about to put out his pathetic little fire once and for all."

"You were about to crush him," Dione grimaced in disgust. "I gave up urges like that when Vayon tore you out of my psyche."

"Maybe they started creeping back when you started spending all your time here waiting to see a glimpse of your precious Vayon," Dishadow said, her every word oozing confident mockery. "Remember the days when you'd actually go out and lead attacks on Stellarman? You'd let me out and fight, and you'd never hear a seductive voice putting all those bloody thoughts in your head…"

Dione bit her lip as an arrogant laugh echoed across the landscape of her mind.

* * *

"Get back to where you belong, tree-walker!"

One of the Bellarian's four red-furred arms lobbed a hunk of rock across the street. The target jumped back, landing awkwardly on its three bark-covered legs and filling the air with loose yellow leaves. The bark that was its skin creaked as it raised the prehensile branches it called arms high in a universal gesture of non-violence.

"Stop this," it said in a rumbling voice. "I've never created problems for you."

"Oh is that so?" the ape-like Bellarian screamed. Even from the other side of the avenue, an observant being could see his thick red hair starting to fall from his arms and line the ground at his feet. His eyes watered and a thick yellow mucus oozed from his nose. "You know what you do to Bellarians just by being around! We've been here for centuries, you've only been on Ikardaa for weeks! And it's not like this is the first time any of us met!"

"What kind of home for the lost is it that puts the people it takes in into confined spaces?" the tree-creature asked, its voice starting to show a note of anger.

"What kind of home for the lost is it that we're not safe doing anything else?" the Bellarian wheezed, feebly throwing two more rocks that fell far short of the feet of the object of his rage. He slumped to his knees, then fell onto his side, gasping and clutching his thick arms around himself in a futile effort to protect himself from the tree creature's presence.

Other Bellarians peered out of the buildings on the side occupied by their kindred to see the source of the commotion, then one of them growled as he caught sight of the tree-creature and stormed from his home brandishing a network of crystalline pipes connected to a long metal nozzle. There was no mistaking that it was a weapon

"Get out, Detorian!" he bellowed and fired a warning shot that clipped a few leaves off the tree-creature's head.

"I have business beyond here, and this is the quickest way!" the tree-creature protested.

"Get out!" the armed Bellarian repeated, his voice joined by a dozen others. The Detorian's middle foot took a defensive step back but it kept its hands up in supplication.

"I don't want any trouble! I only stopped because your friend attacked me!" it said.

The leader of the Bellarian mob blinked out the water welling in his eyes and took aim at the Detorian, but an echoing voice cut him off before he could pull the trigger.

"Hold it right there!" A wall of purple energy jumped up, dividing the street down the middle. The Bellarians and Detorian looked up to see Erica Thebes floating above them. Her cheeks turned a rich violet with all those eyes on her bare lavender form, but she quickly collected herself. "That's enough."

The lead Bellarian fell on all of his hands and knees and was joined by most of the others as she was rescognized. "Forgive us, but," he jabbed a finger at the Detorian, "their kind sickens just by being around. They were told about this. That thing has no business coming this close to the part of the city where most of us live!"

"I wasn't going to be here more than a second! I was just on my way through!" the Detorian shouted.

"Then get going," Erica said. The Detorian bowed its head, dropping a few more leaves on the ground which it hurriedly snatched up before lurching away as fast as it could.

"And you," Erica pointed to the Bellarian, but then shifted her outstretched finger to his weapon. A violet ray shot from the tip and enveloped it. Within seconds it had been vaporized. "I don't know how you got away with hiding that thing, but weapons aren't allowed."

He wiped a stream of mucus off his face before bowing down again. "I'm sorry, but what can I do? My sister's children are still sick from the last time one of those damn tree-walkers came close to their house! Why doesn't Meghris do anything?"

A good question. She was the first to admit she didn't go looking for him, but she hadn't seen or heard from her father in almost a week. He'd locked himself away in his own personal wing of the palace, quietly studying whatever it was that he'd been meaning to before Erica came along and freed up his time. Which had, in a way, been to her benefit.

"I'll ask him the next time I see him," Erica said. "In the meantime, try not to kill your neighbors, all right?"

"Just keep them out of our space," another Bellarian pleaded.

With that settled for the moment, Erica flew off, leaving a violet trail against the sky for a moment. It was a marvelous feeling, she had to admit, even if it only worked on the planet where she was essentially jailed. The influence of the previous members of her race was still strong on Ikardaa, enhancing the powers of those who possessed their heritage. The ones who could still use their powers at all.

All the same, it was getting hard to enjoy as every day Ikardaa was more and more familiar. She'd been settling disputes on Meghris's before for months, and they seemed to be getting uglier all the time. Someone had actually gotten mad enough to bring out a weapon he must've snuck in when his people were taken in by the artificial planet. How long would it be before someone actually did get hurt? Or she was forced for hurt somebody?

She cruised toward the end of her father's palace, the side he never entered. The wide garden veranda next to where her private quarters was empty as usual. As soon as she landed there she waved a hand at the door leading inside, and was surprised to see someone standing on the other side. It was a dark-skinned woman wearing an elaborate white headdress and robes.

"R'kana!" Erica exclaimed, then quickly lowered her voice. "Please tell me you've got good news…"

R'kana smiled a cautious smile. "I think I've found a way to establish a link to Earth."

* * *

The moon was long since up as Draco cruised westward over what remained of the northern United States. It couldn't quite manage the supersonic speeds it had been performing before its last run-in with Stellarman, but on a whim Burn had taken a detour and flown over New York and Washington D.C. and was surprised to see that most of them were still standing. Most. None of Vayon's crystals had been built nearby, but still parts of the cities were in ruins. Yet people, animals, even cars were out making their way down the surviving streets as he'd passed. None of them even scurried out of sight as quickly as they could before something with foul intentions could see them.

StellarBurn was thinking about finding somewhere to land and picking up his trip in the morning when he spotted a blazing orange source of light a few miles on. He glanced at Draco's geographical display and confirmed he was indeed almost upon the location of Detroit.

Below, there was hardly a building left standing anywhere. Charred remains of people and cars lay everywhere, and Burn had little doubt that Proxordo had occupied the city some time ago. As Draco flew on he could see that the orange light was a giant crystal like the one where he'd fought Stellarman. Except in front of this one, standing nearly as tall, was a dark rectangular shape. As Draco came closer Burn could see it was surrounded by a scaffolding where Risen ran back and forth, carrying cases and crates that they delivered inside by means of various doors.

A curious mood, or maybe it was just fatigue, encouraged Burn to set down a safe distance away from the box in front of the crystal. Before he disembarked he switched on the long-range scanners and he caught most of the Risen pausing for a second from running around like ants to look up and try to identify the bestial shape that had touched down. He let them gawk for a moment, then in a blink he'd reappeared in the middle of one of the scaffolding's upper levels.

Before any of the Risen could get any ideas about running away, he grabbed the nearest one by her gunmetal gray shoulder. "Where's the snake knight?" Burn asked. "I've got to talk to him about a little help with my friend over there."

The quivering worker extended a hand toward the nearest door into the box, and Burn nodded before releasing her and walking casually up to the door and opening it.

Indeed Kamandetes was inside, standing at the edge of another scaffolding inside as some hulking thing was constructed in front of him. With every second he turned and barked an order at a Risen in a different direction, and inside they hurried around even faster than they did outside. The snakes decorating his armor gleamed menacingly in the low light, as if they might come to life and sink their fangs into anyone who didn't obey quickly enough. He turned around and snorted with contempt as he noticed the person approaching from behind who wasn't a Risen.

"And what in the name of the Fire do you think _you're_ doing here?" he demanded coolly.

"Draco's been damaged," StellarBurn explained. "You built it, I hoped you could repair it."

Kamandetes laughed contemptuously at the request. "When did you find any manners, child? Do I have your time away with the rest of Stellarman to thank for that?"

Burn bristled at the second remark. "Don't lump me in with them, thank you."

"Why shouldn't I? You're not one of us. You never were. You look like one of them, and when they disappeared for months, so did you."

"All I'm asking is for my robot to be repaired…," Burn said, but couldn't resist clenching a fist.

"I have bigger concerns than doing favors for a distraction," Kamandetes countered. From out of nowhere his sword was in one armored hand. "In fact, I'm thinking I ought to do something my master should've done a long time ago." Without waiting for Burn to make a glib reply Kamandetes rushed him and it was all Burn could do to roll underneath a swing aimed at his throat.

Hurriedly Burn reached for his Conflicter and dialed in a number he never thought he'd need. "Burn Saber!" A sword formed of his searing energy formed in one hand and Burn brought it up to parry Kamandetes's next wild swing. Burn's blade deflected the weapon, but the impact numbed his arms for a second.

"Blast Fire!" StellarBurn yelled and thrust his fist in Kamandetes's direction. A fireball jumped from his hand but glanced off his opponent's armor. "Damn…" Burn whispered. He'd used his power so recklessly over the course of the entire day. The fight with StellarRed, then the one with Dione's evil twin, and while staying in his enhanced form was only a slight drain on his energy, it was still a drain. And he'd been StellarBurn for most of the day. Was he too weak to even stand up to Kamandetes?

The golden serpents on Kamandetes's chest plate writhed then launched themselves at Burn. They lodged their fangs in his chest armor and quickly Burn's saber flashed out and hacked at their necks. Once, twice, three times before finally severing them below the serpents below the head. Their decapitated bodies retreated to their place on Kamandetes's armor and in a flash sprouted new heads.

"Running out of steam, child?" Kamandetes said in a voice that made Burn imagine a jagged taunting grin inside the black mask.

Burn gritted his teeth before charging Kamandetes and slashing his ethereal saber into the black knight's shoulder. He did nothing to avoid the attack, and laughed when a tiny sliver of his armor falling off was the only result of Burn's attack. The saber flickered, then faded entirely.

In that splitsecond Kamandetes lashed out with his with his sword and slashed StellarBurn across the chest. His blade even sliced through Burn's chest armor. Even through the dark red coloration of his power suit, Burn could see a long gash beginning to leak blood from his torso.

"Looks like even your power has limits," Kamandetes sneered. "You should've taken us more seriously, child. The Fire of Truth never flickers." He raised his sword to deal the final blow, but just as Burn started feeling fain the realized he wasn't looking up at the black knight anymore. Instead he was in the cockpit of his robot, and somewhere behind he could hear Draco's power core warming up before the familiar sensation of it going aloft.

"What's…going…on," Burn managed to gasp before blacking out.

* * *

Erica had to remember to walk as she followed R'kana through the tunnel Erica had carved so R'kana could come to the palace without risking the guards seeing her and alerting Erica's father. After a second they reached the end and entered into a room in the bottom of the archive building, where all the knowledge of all of Ikardaa's displaced civilizations was stored.

"So what's going on?" Erica asked, eager for news of home.

"Don't get too excited, I haven't had a chance to try this yet," R'kana protested.

"Why not?"

"Because it's similar to the way I summoned all of you to Ikardaa the first time," said R'kana. "It projects a beam from here on Ikardaa to wherever you're trying to reach. It requires a massive amount of energy to work, though. I won't risk tapping energy from the sun, so the only other source I could think of was you."

"That's fine, as long as there aren't months-long lags or anything while I'm trying to talk to somebody."

"This is different. The process is faster because there's no matter projection involved. There's still a lag, but it's only a few seconds," R'kana said. She made her way around the room, inspecting various banks of machinery. Erica looked away, hoping it wouldn't take long, before R'kana suddenly tapped her on the shoulder and Erica looked forward to see a screen awash with static and two arms extending from the top that ended in grips she reached out and grabbed.

The effect was immediate. It felt like something was sucking the Starlight right out of her, but she held on so hard she heard the grips creak. Slowly, the static on the screen started to clear.

* * *

"I sure appreciate you kids promising to help out like this," said the face set with the thickest jaw either of them had ever seen. "I don't even know why them metal folks are after us. But you can bet your asses they ain't gonna get us."

"I don't know either, General," Daniel replied, but his conversation partner held up a hand.

"Please, call me Ted."

"Well, General Ted," Aki spoke up, "We'll be there to bail you out in no time." Daniel gave her an exasperated glance but the general just laughed.

"I'm sure glad to hear that, little lady. It's great to know you kids ar-" General Ted replied, but then the image on the monitor started to fill with static. After a moment it cleared, but the face the two Stellarmen saw wasn't General Ted Alcazar. It was a smooth and lavender-skinned, featureless but for two bright eyes and a cascade of purple hair.

"Daniel? Can you hear me?" it asked.

"What the hell-?" Aki said in bemusement.

"Erica?" Daniel exclaimed.

She shut her eyes for a second and made a noise like a sigh of relief. "I was afraid you wouldn't recognize me…"

"Where are you? What happened to you?" Daniel yelled and leaned forward until his nosed was pressed against the screen, then realized what he was doing and sat back in his chair.

"I'm still on Ikardaa. My dad lives here, apparently. He's the last living Shakai, except for me."

"I guess he is, now," Daniel said solemnly.

"You mean…yeah, right. Look, I wanted to let you guys know I'm all right and find out how things are with Proxordo."

"Bad," Aki answered.

"How bad?" asked Erica.

"Vayon's been attacking all over the place while we were gone," Daniel replied. "But there's no purpose we can figure out to what he's been up to. Some cities were completely destroyed but most of the big ones are still there. He's been planting these giant crystals all over the place and they shoot Fire into the air, but there's no pattern as far as we can tell for those either. I think he went even more nuts while we were gone."

"I wish I could help," Erica said sadly.

"Can't they send you back too?" Aki asked.

Erica sighed. "My dad's kind of put me in charge of watching the entire planet for him while he goes and does research on something he won't even talk to me about. I don't even think it's anything specific, he's just enjoying having someone else around to do his dirty work. And-" Just then the sound of something large and heavy crashing to the ground came from above Erica.

Aki clenched the back of Daniel's chair. "What was that?"

"I better go see. I'll get in touch with you later!" Erica said and the screen became a panel of static once again. After a few seconds, the confused face of General Ted Alcazar had returned.

"There you are!" he exclaimed. "You kids should get your phone looked at."

* * *

In a blink Erica was flying upstairs, taking the turns of the corridors and stairs at a speed only a lifetime of combat training could've prepared her for. As she passed the data storage method on each level became less advanced; at the bottom were trees of crystal with flecks of light running from one to another, to endless racks of tiny chips on a countless variety of subjects, to data discs to books. As she flew she wondered idly why Aki had been with Daniel during a communication session. The way she remembered it, Aki wasn't serious about a lot of things. Daniel was. What were they doing in the comms room together?

Her daydreaming was interrupted when she came up to the main entrance and the source of the noise. A group of assorted alien creatures, rather young-looking if you knew the signs of each of their species which Erica did, were pushing over bookshelf after bookshelf and occasionally grabbing a particularly old volume to rip out the pages and scatter them all over the floor. The sight of Erica's glowing form stopped them in their tracks.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

A few of them looked at each other, then at one with yellow scales and a snake-like head. He uttered a noise halfway between a hiss and a sigh and stepped forward. "We're here to get attention from Meghris."

"By busting up the archive? Old information is all he cares about, how do you expect to him impress like that?"

The snake-headed youth fixed her with a beady eye. "We don't want to impress him, we want to get his attention. We're sick of this planet, we're not the only ones in our little group. Maybe Meghris gave our parents a place to live, but what if we don't want to live next door to his fake indoor sun the rest of our lives?"

"Have you got some place to go?" Erica asked honestly.

"You've been here a long time, purple girl. Don't tell me you haven't noticed plenty of refugees come to this catch basin of a planet, but none of them ever leave. Well, we want to leave. Haven't you noticed the…the disagreements getting worse between all the different peoples getting worse lately? Maybe Meghris cared about the people he was giving homes once, but now he just hides up in his palace filling his days with who knows what."

One of the other vandals, a flat-faced creature with dark purple skin, piped up next. "We were born here, and never mind Meghris, our parents barely pay attention to us or the problems we're seeing with so many different people stuffed into one place like this. They just want to shut themselves into their safe little holes and pretend those problems don't exist, just glad to have a place to hide.

"Well, we don't want to just roll over and die like that. If we can't at least get Meghris to actually show his face again and think about what's happening to his precious little paradise, at least we can get him to send us somewhere else. Hopefully somewhere people aren't willing to be so blind."

"Wait a minute," Erica interrupted. "I've heard of you. That gang, the Wandering Stars."

"That's us," said the snake-headed youth, a certain pride peeking through the resignation in his voice.

"That's an interesting name," Erica observed.

"You helped inspire it," said the flat-faced vandal. "You used to be part of Stellarman, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did…" Erica replied cautiously.

"It was a little after the demons came. I was there when they talked to that lady outside of this very building. They were so…amazing. They ran right off to fight demons, to protect a place they never saw before. They sure as hell didn't lock their doors and wait for their problems to go away. Or attack someone who's supposed to be their neighbor."

"That's true," Erica said, a little wistfully.

"Please, miss," pleaded the snake-faced one. "If we can't get Meghris's attention with this act, you've got to bring Stellarman back. Nobody could ignore them, and I know they'd agree with us once they had a chance to see what's going on here."

"Stellarman's fighting someone a lot worse than Meghris for the sake of their own world right now," Erica told him. The snake-faced youth balled two quivering fists in frustration.

Erica looked at the various youths, only two out of the whole group from the same species, and with an effort of will extended a field over the room to "feel" their auras. In each and every one she felt a profound sense of earnesty, and a burning desire, probably to do something very big.

"But I'll see what I can do…"


	33. Phase 32: Priorities

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 32: Priorities

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Note: Sentai-Rider Fan has talked about setting up a Stellarman forum RPG on Henshin Heroes Proboards. I've given him my blessing, so if that's your thing, head on over and sign up.

Binoculars had been trained on the looming object for the hour it had steadily been growing in the sight of those lenses. Soon the ship's underside filled the gaps of the trees above. Monkeys screamed and swung away as fast as they could while birds took flight to escape the gigantic intruder. It was nowhere near as startling as what happened next.

Artillery roared from beneath the treetops. Shells peppered the underside of the airship drifted past. A few glanced off. Most tore holes in the metal, and as it continued its journey a few shots hit the rocket on the aft side propelling it along. At once the ship started to lose altitude and plowed into the jungle below, digging an enormous trench lined with shattered trees.

A minute after the enormous craft came to rest, Risen started to pour from the holes in the ship, whether from the bombardment or the damage of the crash landing that had followed. They charged into the jungle and were met by a hail of gunfire that merely bounced off their metallic bodies. As they readied their weapons to attack, a red-clad figure charged from the trees, sword swinging.

With all his strength, StellarRed brought his sword down and sheared through the torch of the first overmatched Risen facing him. A punishing blow out of nowhere collided with the Risen's jaw and knocked him into the air.

A mild sensation of heat traveled across Red's back, and he whipped around and slammed the hilt of his sword into the head of Amp-Risen who'd attached him from behind. He groaned and crumpled to his knees, clutching the dent in his helmet.

Red growled, "Horns of Knossos!" His body burned with crimson Starlight, an image of a bull forming from his shoulders, then he charged through the rest of the Risen guarding their fallen transport. For a second the air was filled with metallic bodies.

Before most of the Risen had even landed Red stabbed his sword into the side of the wrecked craft up to the hilt. He carved a circular hole in the side of the ship before kicking in the wall hard enough to send it falling right through the floor of the transport.

The lights were out inside, but enough light filtered in through StellarRed's impromptu door to make a chain of red sparkles appear leading up toward the ceiling of the room. "I knew it," he said to himself then waved a group of soldiers in gray uniforms carrying a crate between them over through the battlefield littered with dazed Risen. After they saw Red and his allies standing beside the ship, most of the Risen got up and ran as fast as their metal legs could carry them.

Red grabbed the crate from them, then hurled it into the ship. As soon as it landed amidst the red sparkles he aimed his sword at it and yelled, "Taurus Spark!"

A crimson energy ball shot from his sword and ripped open the crate he'd just thrown inside. It exploded and the ship collapsed with a roar of metal giving way. The soldiers who'd provided the explosive fled for their lives, but Red lowered his sword and watched as explosion after explosion rocked the ship as the first burst set off its volatile cargo. StellarRed didn't move until all that was left was a pile of rust-colored rubble.

Someone thwapped him on the shoulder. "I've been yelling at you to wait up for ten minutes! Why didn't you listen?" It was StellarBlue, sounding not all that annoyed despite the nature of her question.

Red sighed, then shrugged. "When we do this anymore, I just want to do the job and get it over with."

"Yeah, I could tell. So could they," Blue replied, pointing back toward the Risen as they fled home through a portal that vanished even as the members of Stellarman watched. The gray-clad soldiers shot the pair uncertain glances.

"This is war, Aki. If we're going to win we've got to go on the offensive," Red said firmly.

"Are we still going easy on the Risen?"

"Eurgh…"

Blue clapped her hands on his shoulders and kneaded them gently. "Daniel, I'm getting worried. Ever since we got back-"

Red sighed and moved away. "We did our job here, and we've got lots more jobs to do other places. Let's get going."

They started the walk back to where the troops they were aiding were waiting for them, but Blue wasn't done. "Look, I know things are a lot worse than before we left, but you've got to stop letting this eat you up. You didn't know this would happen. Plus, wasn't the whole point that we were helping somebody in big trouble? Isn't that what Stellarman's here for?"

"Yeah, yeah it is…," Red conceded.

Blue thumped him on the shoulder supportively. "See? We saved a whole planet back there, we can save this one now. Stop taking it so hard."

A jeep pulled up in front of them, bearing General Ted Alcazar in the passenger's seat. A cigar as thick as Red's thumb sent of ribbon of smoke as gray as his uniform drifting behind him as he jumped out and walked over to them, his eyes narrow.

"I thought we were partners, Daniel!" he grunted and took a puff on his cigar, looked StellarRed in the mask for a second, then blew out his mouthful of smoke to the side. "We were supposed to share the glorious destruction of those demonic crystals your playmates were trying to move into my country!"

Red shrugged, the sun catching off the blade of his sword as he did. "This is a fight for lives, general. You've got to do what it takes as fast as you can. I came to get rid of those crystals and I did."

The general's face fell and he took another puff. "Thank you for your information and leading the attack all the same. It's only a pity the rest of your friends couldn't be here."

Blue stepped in quickly before the remark could remind Red of anything uncomfortable. "Yeah well, no offense General Ted, but we're trying to help out people anywhere we can, and there's a lot of places that need us right now. We hope we can count on your support later on, hmm?"

He saluted the pair, looking a touch comical with the cigar still clenched between his lips. "Anytime, anywhere. Stellarman can count on me and my men."

"Glad to hear it," Red said. "If you'll excuse us, we'd better go check in on our friends. Valentine, we're ready to come aboard."

A rush of air blew the general's cap off his head, and he and the jeep driver looked up to see an enormous metal cross cruising through the sky only a hundred feet or so overhead. A pair of bright white beams shot from the hub and engulfed the brightly-garbed pair in front of him, then turned blue and red as it retreated upward again, leaving the ground where they'd stood empty. The cross zoomed away faster than anything General Ted Alcazar had ever seen in all his years of being around military machines.

After a moment the beam solidified two forms in the interior of the ship, back to plain old Daniel and Aki again. Or as plain as they ever got with the circuitry shimmering through their skin. Daniel sighed, blinked a few times and made his way toward the command center.

"Daniel?" Aki called up the hall after him.

He sighed again and called back, "Yes, Aki?"

"After you check in with the other guys, you want to go do something? Just hit the nearest city and see what there is to do?"

"After I check in with the rest of the team I'm going to bed," Daniel replied. "I've been trying to make friends with people who can help us for the last two days straight. Sorry, Aki."

"Yeah…it's okay."

"Tell Valentine to wake me up if Erica gets through to us again, would you?"

"Yeah, I will," Aki replied then turned and slunk down the other corridor.

* * *

The images the Fire of Truth revealed disturbed Rogyre Vayon.

He'd pledged to be around to direct his followers more often, but working on a global scale as he had required regular communing with the force directing Proxordo's cause.

The tongues of flame showed him the Earth as it had so many times, surrounded by a miasma of energy that he knew to be the very Fire of Truth showing him the image. There were large uncovered areas, parts of Asia and the poles, mainly, but that would be attended to in time.

Unless he could interpret what he kept seeing next from coming to pass, however. The image of Earth swirled and was replaced by another sphere orbited by a pair of smaller ones. Obviously another planet, but this one was a completely smooth. No clouds, no continents, no oceans, no craters.

The image swirled again, and he could see the smooth planet and Earth at opposite ends of the wall of fire. Between them was a streak of light, but as it had for the last week the image vanished before he could tell where the light was heading. From the image emanated a faint sensation of that strange energy given off by the members of Stellarman whenever they were in battle. It had been so long since he'd been close enough to feel it himself, but there was no mistaking its nature.

What did it mean? Was the light something coming from that planet, presumably to Stellarman's aid? Or was it something from Earth, traveling to that other planet for who knew what purpose? Certainly he needed no new opposition to his goals, but what if the light had something to do with Stellarman, and that planet was where they'd gone during the months they'd been missing? What if the Fire was showing them returning, for whatever reason? If he tried to prevent that light from making its journey, would he be denying himself an easy chance to rid himself of his most persistent enemies?

He sighed in irritation, willingly breaking the trance from which the visions sprang. Outside his meditation chamber, Dione hovered amidst a disaster area that looked like it had once been his study. The wall overlooking Haven was blown out completely and wreckage from the carefully-wrought furniture that had formerly decorated the room was all over the floor.

"It was him," Dione said immediately. "That child, Kyle. Dishadow fought him but I sent him to Kamandetes…I didn't want to risk you."

Vayon laughed lightly. "Oh my dear Dione…you have so much and so little faith in me at once. Do you truly think that brat's any threat to me? Still, hopefully Kamandetes will do something about him and I can focus on more pressing matters."

"Did the Fire show you something…unsettling?" Dione asked, then realized she'd added, "Does it mean there's anyone else you need obliterated?"

Vayon gave her a bemused look for a second but then shook his head. "I don't know, exactly. What the Fire shows me has never been that hard to decipher, but this…am I losing my connection?"

Dione shook her head vigorously. "That can't be it. But…"

"But…?" Vayon prompted.

Dione bit her lip as she uncertainly followed up her remark. "…maybe it's trying to prompt you to take more command as we reach the crucial phases of the plan."

"Yes," Vayon said as he pondered her observation. "The Fire of Truth is all-powerful, of course, but are we not the ones it chose to use to purify Earth? So close to our goal, yes, it's time for us to seize our own initiative."

Dione smiled gently, and Vayon escorted her out of the decimated room with a gauntleted hand on her shoulder. "After I reward the most faithful, of course…"

* * *

Bohdi's Stellphone rang up at him and he retrieved the device and pressed the receive button. The end of his communicator didn't light up with the face of the person calling him, just a topographical display of an area he knew quite well. He'd been spending the last few days scouting it out, waiting.

For just a second he saw a red blip approaching the hill where he'd been hiding out, then the image flickered out. Their man on the inside couldn't afford to be in touch with them for too long at any one time, after all.

He quickly climbed to the top of the hill but stayed low. He was quite a distinctive sight, on Earth without the holographic disguise he used to employ when out in the open. And that wasn't really an option anymore, with what they'd done to reenter the fight.

Coming toward him was a huge, bullet-shaped aircraft. It was a dazzling red, and the image of a torch on the nose left no doubt as to its owner. The image was probably meant to scare anyone who saw it into thinking twice about trying anything.

To him, it might as well have been a gigantic bullseye.

Bohdi waited until the transport was directly above him, then crouched and for the briefest of seconds summoned a burst of Starlight as he hurled himself straight up into the air. As he was about to collide with the metal underside he summoned another and grasped the ship's hull with a strength unknown even to his people. Both of his massive hands were side by side, facing opposite directions, and slowly he pulled them apart and in the process pulled the metal of the ship's hull apart until it was wide enough for him to swing inside.

The corridor he found himself inside was empty, but Bohdi ducked behind the first cover he could find just in case. It was one of many curved beams holding the shape of the hull, and he carefully peered both ways down the corridor before making his way to his right quickly but silently. When he hadn't been scouting the terrain he'd been memorizing the layout of one of these transports. Now he was about to find out if their man on the inside could be trusted.

He slipped from hiding place to hiding place as he made his way through the route to the transport's most sensitive location he'd memorized. On the way Bohdi took a few shortcuts and alternate routes he'd noticed himself, just in case he was being led into a trap.

However, as he went five minutes before spotting the first pair of Risen crewman, who weren't even armed, then another seven before he spotted a single guard making a token patrol, the thought that the ship really was being operated by a skeleton crew crossed his mind. And Proxordo being active on a global scale after Vayon had stopped recruiting long before Stellarman traveled across the galaxy did indeed lend itself to the idea that the group was spread thin…

The thick-looking door leading to the heart of the ship was watched over by eight Risen and their commanding officer. None of them were shooting the breeze while they waited for their shift to end. None were looking around absently at nothing in particular. The Amp-Risen wasn't even watching his charges for any mistake. He faced the hall which was the only way in or out, torch held at the ready.

Well, Bohdi thought, stealth got you this far. Now it looks like it's time to see if your other tricks can take you the rest of the way.

"Cosmic Ascension!" he called out. Before the Risen could rush to the attack two discs of energy had jumped form his ring then extended until they were as tall as Bohdi. Then, they flew backward and washed over him.

The first garbed him in his StellarBlack battle suit. The second made the circuitry visible even through his suit flare for a second as the sign of Scorpio formed on his chest. He unhitched the short rod hanging from his belt, and in a flash it had lengthened into a baton with two others dangling from the ends.

The Risen engaged him without hesitation. They aimed their torches at his head and shot a barrage of fireballs, but StellarBlack expertly whirled the arms of his three-section staff and smashed them out of sight. Black expertly jumped, curled himself into a ball and landed with both feet on a Risen's chest.

Five torches descended on his head and shoulders even as their owners' companion fell onto his back with a clang. With one deft upward swing of his staff the falling mass of fiery weapons flew into the air as they were knocked from five hands. Another spin above his head knocked five Risen backward with dented breastplates.

A sensation of intense heat came at Black's head as he rolled off his prone first victim and he jumped up and out of the way as soon as his boots touched the floor again. The Amp-Risen leading the group had seized one of the lost torches and was wielding one in each hand now. The two Risen still on their approached Black from the sides while their leader advanced on him form the front.

The Amp-Risen rushed in first, feinting to one side then jabbing with one torch. Black parried the attack by grabbing the exterior sections of his staff and blocking it on the middle one. He fully expected that to be the precursor to another attack, but in the middle of jabbing from the other side the Amp-Risen suddenly changed direction and singed the arm holding his staff. His grip loosened on his weapon and a kick to his wrist from the Risen on that side sent his staff twirling to the other side of the room.

Before the pair of lesser Risen could press the attack, Black grabbed them each by the shoulder and threw them together. Their skin afforded them superhuman resilience, but he had been able to hurt them before all of Stellarman achieved their ascendant forms. Now it was like swatting bees. The Risen groaned and collapsed at his feet.

Now, his comrades taken out or disarmed by their lone opponent, the Amp-Risen circled warily toward StellarBlack then suddenly lunged with both torches at Black's chest. Deftly Black grabbed him by the wrists and twisted one back until one torch tumbled from his hand.

That left only one weapon, and Black started force the tip back toward the Amp-Risen's chest.

He could've simply seized it and struck the leader of the guards down with his own weapon, but Black suspected there was more to an Risen's weapon than that. Vayon was powerful, but paranoid. They'd noticed that during the first meeting, certainly, and Vayon had personally appeared and revived his monsters after Stellarman had obliterated them. He probably wouldn't trust his power to anyone he couldn't control.

Therefore, the torches probably couldn't be ignited by anyone not under Vayon's thumb. That was why Black jammed the blazing end of the weapon into the Amp-Risen's chest until he could see the light reflected on the opposite wall. The Amp-Risen released his grip on the torch as the life seeped out of him, and Black let the body slump from his hands.

He looked around quickly. The Risen he hadn't flattened were gone. They'd probably be back with what friends were aboard, but they weren't guarding the door anymore and that was what he'd hoped to achieve. If the code he'd been supplied was real, it soon wouldn't matter if the Risen came back with friends.

* * *

Kyle awoke again to the taste of blood in his mouth. Reflexively he leaned forward and spewed the vile substance downward, then groaned in irritation when he realized that downward was the floor of Draco's cockpit.

That startled him awake. Draco's cockpit? How long had he been out after his fight Kamandetes? It couldn't have been that long, or wouldn't the knight have come after him to finish the job? Yes, he would, but…wasn't that the familiar beating of Draco's wings?

"What's going on…?" Kyle muttered, and heard a metallic groaning that sounded like something was about to fall off, but then realized what it was.

Draco acknowledging his words. The screen in front of him flicked on to show the area around them. The large blip that he knew to be Draco was quickly gaining distance from the ruins of Detroit.

"You took off all by yourself," Kyle whispered. Another metal roar of reply. "Well, it looks like we have to take you somewhere else to get fixed…but there isn't anyone else who can do it."

Another screen flicked on, this one showing what it took Kyle a few seconds to recognize as internal schematic. Draco's internal schematics.

As he processed this the readout blurred and he fell back onto his chair. As he lost consciousness again, Kyle had a feeling Draco knew where it was going.

* * *

All around StellarBlack were towering transparent cylinders, each of them stretching from the floor to the uppermost edge of the ship. Just like he'd been told, they were full with opaque yellow nuggets.

But not for long.

Black jumped at the nearest cylinder and raised one arm to chop down at it. As he did he cried out, "Ebon Sting!" A dark luminescent image of a scorpion appeared over him, the scorpion's sting settling over his arm as he delivered the blow and sheared clean through the cylinder. Black Starlight rushed from his body into the volatile stones, turning the entire cylinder as dark as his uniform. One exploded, then the ones beside it, and within seconds the entire cylinder had gone up in a cloud of black energy that seeped into the cylinders closest to it. Those cylinders darkened and exploded as well as Black turned and made a run for it.

Surprised Risen were surging toward the door to the cargo hold, but they weren't expecting the intruder to come to them. StellarBlack easily shouldered his way through the handful of metal-skinned soldiers in his way then thrust his staff into the hull and dragged it down, tearing a new opening. Then he had hurled himself through and was drifting downward.

A few seconds later the sky in front of him turned white and he felt blistering heat blow across his back, but then it was over. He hit the ground, then automatically went into a roll to blunt the momentum of his drop. The noise of hundreds of tons of metal crunching into the ground barely even reached his ears before he looked up to see he had company.

Galloping towards Black with an unmistakably feline gait were five towering shapes, but he held his ground until they came to a ground-shaking stop a rough twenty feet away. The sudden stop sent a cloud of dust billowing up to engulf Black, but he stood complete unflinching as five gigantic cats looked down at him. A atch opened on the back of the one closest to him, which was a blazing red, and a woman in an equally red uniform and helmet climbed out and inspected him. Then she looked up and inspected the mountain of debris that had been the Proxordo transporter.

"Not bad," she said. "I have to admit, I wasn't sure about you."

"I know," Black said simply. "You're not the first."

She looked down at him from the shoulders of her metal lioness, and Black was sure she was taking in the shape of his head. From the others climbed four other brightly-colored women, and Black clenched his fists as he felt five sets of eyes settle on him. He didn't move a muscle.

"Come on, Angel," said the one in blue. "He did what you said. Did it better than we did. Maybe we can trust him, huh?"

"Yeah, Kim. Sure, Stellarman can count on Felinger. We're all going to have to go to the wall to deal with Proxordo."

"Yes, yes we are," StellarBlack said to himself. "I hope all of us are capable of realizing that."

* * *

A snaked-headed youth held in a groan of pain as a guard roughly slammed him against a wall. The guard slipped a pair of glistening blue powercuffs around his prisoner's narrow wrists and cinched them tight, then tossed the ophidian to land beside the rest of the apprehended trespassers.

"We just want to leave," he hiss-croaked up at the black stone-skinned guards as they reported in.

"Kid," one of them said in a voice that sounded a lot like someone rubbing a pair of rocks against each other in opposite directions, "even if you knew how to fly that thing, you wouldn't get anywhere before it fell apart. We're putting that ship out of its misery."

He motioned toward the egg-shaped ship at the end of the landing bay, its sides decorated with enormous patches of rust. One of the supports holding up the boarding ramp had already fallen off its mooring.

"Where do you kids think you're going, anyway?" the other guard chuckled in a literally gravelly voice. "People come to Ikardaa because they've got nowhere else to go, don't you know?"

"We didn't come here," the snake-youth hiss-snapped. "We were born here, we're sick of it and we want to see what else is out there."

"You want to know what's out there, kid? Nothing. Lots, and lots of nothing. A couple rocks. A few burnout planets where your grandparents used to live. Be glad they decided to move here and give you any kind of future at all."

"What do you know about it?" gargled a bright blue conspirator with the face of a fish. "When was the last time a Dridian like you was actually 'born'? When was the last time one of you died?"

"Maybe you could learn the value of patience from us," one of the guards retorted.

"Maybe you could learn the value of wanting control over own life from them." The guard was about to smack some respect into the offending conspirator when he realized none of them had said anything. Realized because a violet figure was hovering just behind him, glowing bright enough her light could be seen on the far wall of the room.

"I-I'm sorry!" the guard stammered and fell on his rocky knees before Erica. "Meghris's ruling on this is very clear! All ships that bring in refugees are to be recycled!"

"For the home of the universe's lost people, we sure do seem closed off," Erica mused aloud.

"It's how Ikardaa acquires new raw materials," the other guard feebly explained. "Meghris has made this very clear."

"I'm sure he did, but when was the last time you heard him say anything?" Erica sighed. "And you kids, didn't I tell you I'd see what I could do about this? Couldn't you wait? If you're so sure you're doing the right thing by trying to get off the planet, maybe you shouldn't be sharing your dream."

"What?" gargled the fish-creature.

"Yeah, I remember you guys," Erica said. "Do you think it's just the couple of you who want to leave? Just you and your friends? Maybe we ought to discuss this idea with everybody, and see what we can do."

The guards' faces well as the young conspirators' lit up. Maybe, Erica thought, her time here was achieving something after all.


	34. Phase 33: Bonds

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 33: Bonds

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

She'd get Daniel for this.

StellarYellow swung his enormous axe and cleaved through the weapons of the Risen trying to push him back. "Yellow Roar!" he bellowed, his yell joining with his Starlight to produce a sonic wave that blew the minions of Proxordo clear across the square.

"You okay, Catie?" he gasped in alarm and prodded lightly at her side. She growled and knocked his hand away.

"Don't call me that when we're like this, and don't treat me like a little kid."

Yellow pulled back, a soft gasp escaping his throat. Pink stood up, grunting a little as her wounded side did indeed start to burn as she did. She ignored it with all the willpower she'd developed growing up alongside Yellow.

A few Risen were left standing after Yellow's attack. They let out a half-hearted battle cry and rushed Pink. Her tonfas clicked together, forming a longbow. She pulled back on an invisible bowstring and a shimmering pink arrow appeared in her hand. She whispered, "Shining Barrage," then let go. The arrow flew and smashed into the Risen's chest, knocking him off his feet. But Pink spun to her side and another arrow flew and took down another Risen. Another slight pivot, another arrow and another fallen foe.

"If there's anyone else here stupid enough to work for Vayon, you can either leave now or come out and get hurt!" she challenged.

The square was silent. What Risen the pair could see were scurrying off as fast as their heavy metal feet could carry them. As soon as the clang of metal footsteps faded out of earshot, people began to peer uncertainly out of windows and doorways. Then, slowly, they started to trickle into the open to get a better view. No cheer went up, no one rushed out to congratulate Stellarman for driving off the invaders.

"So…looks like we win," Yellow said, watching his sister cautiously to gauge her reaction.

"Yeah, but if there's supposed to be a team like ours around here, where've they been for the last week?" Pink grumbled.

"You say you're looking for people like you?" asked a teenage girl with thick blonde hair. "You're a little late, you know."

"Why?" Yellow asked. "What happened?"

"Those metal boys you were fighting…they got most of them."

"You mean they're-" Yellow started to ask, but the girl cut him off with a shake of her head.

"No, worse. The metal boys convinced most of them to join up. Said they might not be as powerful in a fight, but they'd be more powerful in the new world."

"We did hear that kind of thing about that team's general mindset…," Yellow mumbled.

Pink growled and slammed her fist into the corner of a building, knocking off a chunk of masonry as big as that fist. "So we came all the way out here for nothing." She growled again, loud enough that it echoed off the buildings around. They'd come all the way to the United Kingdom. Spent a week searching for something that wasn't there anymore. On her first official outing to gain allies. Meaning she was no closer to getting this stupid war over and done with.

"Catie?" Yellow asked cautiously.

"Don't call me that when we're like this! I told you a hundred times!"

"What's bugging her?" the girl asked.

Pink took a deep breath, held the brow of her helmet for a minute as if that made any difference, then answered. "We're supposed to be here looking for people like us. To help us fight Proxordo. And instead they go and join it."

"It's not your fault they turned out to be so flaky," Yellow said.

"Yeah…that's the word," the girl sighed.

The pair of Stellarmen eyed her. "You seem awfully familiar with them."

The girl pushed a lock of thick hair back over one ear. "Yeah, I was."

Pink sighed and let her bow fade away with the battle behind them. "Come on, Yellow. Looks like we're going home early."

"Catie…," Yellow said. She shot him a reproving glance that was unmistakable even through a mask, but he held up an arm. It was impossible not to see a faint shimmer from the circuitry under his skin, even through his protective suit. "We can't really hide anymore, can we?"

Pink sighed a resigned sigh, then let her battle suit flicker away. "Come on, Cliff. Looks like it's time to get back."

Cliff looked over his shoulder at the teenager again, then hurried after Caitlin as she walked past the stunned people of the town they'd just saved. He wasn't sure if the people were amazed by what they'd just seen, or quietly grateful the colorfully-garbed people who'd come to town to stir up trouble were leaving again. It was something he wouldn't even have even occurred to him before getting back from Ikardaa.

Soon they were on the outskirts of the town, and at the push of a button on Caitlin's Stellphone the two unobtrusive hills that hadn't been there that morning flickered into the shape of a robot centaur and lion. A beam showered down from the brow of the centaur and brought Caitlin aboard. Cliff rushed forward to catch another beam from Leo as Sagittarius stood up and started to gallop up the coast toward the pick-up point. Leo loped after it.

"Maybe we shouldn't have left so fast," Cliff suggested.

"Oh, so now you're all about checking all the angles, huh?"

"Not really, but since when are you all about just giving up like that?"

Caitlin sighed, more annoyed than ever. "If we're going to end this stupid war, does it make sense to you to go chasing blind alleys? We were too late back there, Vayon got to them first. On to the next thing."

Cliff said nothing more to that, simply letting the robot's auto pilot take him to the rendezvous with the rest of the team. He wondered if they were doing any better in their individual quests to make new friends for Daniel's grand vision of a global uprising against Proxordo.

Ah, Daniel and his plans. Somehow, even their unshakable leader seemed changed after getting home and seeing what the world had become without Stellarman. Like Caitlin, who seemed more frustrated with her life than ever. It was understandable, really, what with finding her already complicated world half-destroyed and the job she'd accepted bigger and harder than any of them had ever really thought possible.

He had to admit the experience had even changed him somewhat. At least, the way it had changed Caitlin had done something to him. He was afraid to talk to her now, afraid to say something that would set her off. Their trip to England to track down another team had just been one big frustration for her, and his attempts to placate her had only seemed to make it worse.

That was war, Cliff supposed. It tended to get worse before it got better.

It took longer than it should have for the blur of black and gray above him to shape itself into the roof of Draco's cockpit. The beating of its wings was sounding creaky, but slowly the gray of the clouds outside its windscreen parted to reveal a blinding red glow, which after Kyle's eyes had a chance to adjust he recognized as the light given off by one of Vayon's towering crystals.

With a whump that dug a trench half a mile long behind it, Draco came to a juddering stop next to the crystal. It was an effort by Kyle to climb out of the pilot's seat, and that effort set his teeth on edge.

How could this be happening to him? Him, the most powerful person to ever call themselves a Stellarman. StellarRed had managed to stand up to him in battle, and now he barely had the strength to move thanks to that disastrous meeting with Kamandetes about getting Draco repaired.

It made no sense. His power was the strongest. It always had been. He'd taught that to that drunken ogre he'd called a father for years. He'd taught it to StellarRed, that punk kid Thebes had thought could take his place. Even Vayon had come to him to do something about Stellarman, something no one in Proxordo had managed. The only one who'd ever come close to matching his powers was that girl with the purple Starlight, and for whatever reason she hadn't maid the trip home with them. Not that this matched any definition of "home" even he was familiar with.

The schematics Draco had shown him before passing out before flashed on its monitor again before the machinery in the cockpit fell silent. A CD whirred out of a drive below the monitor and Kyle caught it before it fell to the floor. He was starting to get an idea of why Draco had come here.

Outside, a few Risen who worked on the crystal had climbed up to the entrance hatch in the side of the dragon robot's head. Suddenly it flipped open and a blast of crimson energy sent the closest Risen flying into the air. He landed two hundred feet away.

"Listen closely," StellarBurn ordered as his gloved fist stopped glowing from the power he'd just unleashed. "My robot needs repairs. I have the plans here, and you're going to get it working again for me. If I hear one word of complaint or find you telling Vayon or any of his friends about this, I'll end every single one of you. Understood?"

None of the Risen said a word. Burn handed off the disc to the first one he passed as he made his way through them. Several tents were gathered in a cluster near one side of the crystal, where the Risen had stayed while preparing for its creation. Burn went right past them. He needed someplace where they wouldn't think to look for him, and realize he'd been bluffing them back there.

After a further few minutes of walking he found himself by a rocky hill, with a shallow niche in one side. He crawled into it then rolled a rock over it. Finally, he could let his suit fade and whispered the words, "Starlight Suspension." The world went dark again. This time when it came back, he hoped, it would be like it always had.

With his power dominating the rest.

It was hard to tell if it was day or night anymore with the Fire of Truth staining the sky every hour almost everywhere on the planet. Caitlin rubbed weariness from her eyes as the Ptolemic Machines tromped down the scarred wasteland that had once been Bath. She sighed in irritation. She'd been hoping to visit someday. It didn't help that she'd been neglecting sleep to get this over with faster.

The orange sky drew Caitlin's attention away from the devastation around her. It was coming from a crystal pillar, maybe a mile out from where they were. Maybe there was a way to make this trip productive after all…

Sagittarius turned suddenly and broke into a gallop, and Cliff looked on in dumbfounded silence for a second.

"Where are you going?"

"To bust up that crystal over there, what's it look like?"

"Daniel told us to try to keep a low profile while we were here!" Cliff reminded her.

"We beat up a bunch of Risen, you don't think they're gonna tell their bosses they ran into us?" Sagittarius had shrunk to the size of a toy in Cliff's windscreen by then, and he hissed as he urged his robot to turn and chase his sister's.

"A couple of Risen's nothing! We'll have Vayon's whole stupid city down on us if he finds out we're cutting down one of his crystals!" Cliff called, although he was already sure it was pointless. For some reason this situation seemed rather ironic, but as Sagittarius pulled back on its bowstring and fired its first arrow, the time to think was over.

"Cosmic Ascension!" One surge garbed him in his StellarYellow uniform, and another formed the emblem of Leo on his chest and brow of his helmet. The weapon systems of his Ptolemic Machine seemed to roar eagerly beneath him as he rushed to help his sister.

Sagittarius aimed its bow and fired again, shearing off a large hunk at the top. A few Amp-Risen projected streams of Fire at the towering robot, but their attacks simply slid uselessly off Sagittarius's armor. Another arrow flew and sent another hunk of red crystal plummeting.

Then Leo lunged past Sagittarius, ramming the base of the crystal pillar. With a horrible cracking the finger of red stone teetered, but didn't fall. Risen were fleeing the site in all directions nonetheless.

"For somebody being productive, you were sure picking about the worst possible place to shoot," Yellow said.

"Why are you complaining?" Pink snapped. "Don't you think it's a little too late to worry about a low profile? Let's do something to hit Proxordo back. Let them know we're here and they better watch their butts."

"I think they know," Cliff said.

The Fire had stopped pouring from the crystal into the sky, but it continued to thrum with power. Faster and faster, the noise almost sounding angry as the pulses of energy within the crystal burned brighter and brighter. Sagittarius aimed its bow at the crystal, but before it had a chance to fire the crystal exploded, pelting the Z-Machines with red boulders. It was the shockwave, however, that picked the mecha off the ground and threw them hundreds of feet through the air.

With no input from their pilots, the Z-Machines clambered to their armored feet. Where the crystal had been was a shapeless mass of the Fire of Truth, but within seconds it solidified into a giant Truthbringer.

If it hadn't been big enough to push a skyscraper over with one hand, it might have been comical. The beast's bent was back, and a head like a hairless warthog's seemed to jut directly from its torso. It had thick, flabby arms with gigantic hands covered with coarse hair. It gave out an angry cross between a bleat and a snort and ran at them, a tongue a block long wagging in and out of its cavernous mouth and splattering slobber on the two mecha.

Leo pounced at the Truthbringer but was swatted aside by a flailing hand. Sagittarius took aim at the monster, but suddenly it lunged forward and closed its cavernous mouth around Sagittarius's bow. Pink let the arrow fly, but a pink flash issuing out from the sides of the Truthbringer's mouth was the only response.

Suddenly it started to chew on Sagittarius's arm, pink light flowing from the robot into its maw. Lights in the cockpit started to flicker and blink out, and no matter how hard Pink wrestled with the controls Sagittarius was sinking to its knees.

Again Leo picked itself up and hurled itself at the Truthbringer, and again it barely paid the slightest attention as the lion robot flew toward it. Just as Leo was about to tackle it the hairs on the Truthbringer's arm stood up and impaled Leo's middle. Blips of yellow started to flow from the mech into the Truthbringer.

"What the hell's going on?" Yellow exclaimed. "It's sucking out my power or something!" The console in front of him let out a nearly apologetic-sounding hum and shut down. The Starlight reactor in the depths of Leo stopped its roar, and all the lights aboard Leo went out.

At the same time Sagittarius slumped down, drained of power as well. The Truthbringer squealed so loud it could be heard miles away, then the hairs penetrating Leo went limp again, it released its bite on Sagittarius and lumbered away. Its slow, unsteady walk reminded Yellow of an overweight uncle of his staggering to the couch after Thanksgiving dinner.

Yellow disembarked from his robot as fast as he could, not eager to be trapped inside the helpless machine. Pink had slipped out of her own, but already had her Stellphone in hand. Only holographic snow issued from the end of it no matter how hard Pink jabbed its keys, and after a minute eve the static blipped out. Pink returned the device to her belt with her angriest sigh yet.

"Guess we better keep going," Yellow suggested.

"Yeah," Pink agreed. Tiredly. Resignedly. She flickered back to regular old Caitlin Ashford, Then she started walking.

She was glad at least that Yellow had nothing more to say as they trudged to make their rendezvous.

Something still wasn't right.

Meghris held tighter onto the grips of his harness. He focused as hard as he could, the psychic director to which he was connected pressing every bit of his mental essence against the ephemeral barrier blocking his experiment. His mind was stronger than his hold on his Starlight had ever been. Why couldn't he pierce this barrier?

He felt it buckle and bend as he threw every ounce of mental energy he had against this…whatever it was. A layer of reality separating this dismal plane from another. Something so much purer. Something so much less crowded with lesser beings.

There was so much power there, waiting for him. If only he could feel it, know it, learn its secrets. Then…then…

Meghris stopped hurling himself against that wall between Ikardaa and his goal. What then? Why was he really doing this? What would he do when he finally broke through?

He'd thought he knew. Had the centuries and the foibles of the people who'd settled on this intergalactic catch-basin so sapped his concentration? How could the entire purpose of this effort have eluded him?

A chilling thought occurred to the aged Shakai.

Perhaps he'd never really thought about it at all.

Again he steeled himself to drive a hole through the barrier. The machine thrummed as angrily as the mental force he threw into it. His target warped, rippled, then sprang back. The sudden reversal sent bolts of power erupting from all over the psychic director. As quickly as his aged body allowed Meghris disengaged himself from the harness and slammed the emergency shutdown button. The entire wing of the palace he currently occupied wheezed and fell silent.

Meghris panted and spent ten minutes catching his breath after the exertion of his failed exercise. Ribbons of smoke issued from some of the more stressed banks of machinery.

Something Meghris hadn't felt in ages started to boil in his gut. He hadn't forgotten its identity, though. Frustration.

Years of preparation had gone into this project. Ever since he'd found it necessary to call those colorfully-garbed children to deal with invaders, he'd thought he'd finally found the peace he'd need to conduct his greatest experiment. All the calculations had been made. He'd spent many days practicing before he made the attempt for real. What had gone wrong?

There was only one explanation. The psychic director had lost power. But what on Ikardaa could possibly provide a drain large enough to disrupt his operation?

Meghris clenched a fist. He didn't know, but by the stars that spawned him, he'd find out.

Static lined the monitor, but Erica concentrated harder and the face on it reappeared. The exertion it required on her part to get a signal to Earth had lessened with practice, but it was still there the entire time they maintained contact.

"Things are getting…interesting," she understated.

"Sounds like it," Daniel sighed from back in Crux, Stellarman's flying base. "Sounds like you're doing some good there, though."

This talk Erica involving herself between the Ikardaans happy to stay where they are and those of the youth wanting to leave wasn't welcome news. He'd hoped Ikardaa would be a stifling place she couldn't wait to leave, after what she'd managed to tell him about her father in subsequent transmissions. Someplace she'd be happy to leave so she could join the rest of them back on Earth, once they found a way to bridge the gap besides the most extreme long distance call the universe had ever seen.

The part he least wanted to admit was he had to fight down an urge to reach out and touch her face on the screen, even if it was one he no longer recognized. Shakai or no, she was one of them, and she was stuck somewhere on the other side of the universe. Even if it was possible to bring her back, would she want to come? And if she did, and they found a means, would it still be possible for them to…

He took advantage of another round of static to give vent to a frustrated sigh that seemed to rattle the windows of the communications room. "Any luck on finding a way back yet?" he asked once the transmission cleared again.

"Have any weird fruits or rocks been appearing in your new base?" Erica asked.

Daniel blinked. "No."

Erica looked down, her alien eyes going softer with disappointment. "Then no, we haven't."

"Damn it. We could really use your help now, Erica. I…I know I already said that, but everybody's on edge thanks to seeing what Vayon's doing," Daniel said. "I haven't seen most of the rest of the team for more than a week. We're all split up trying to make friends who can help us fight back."

"I know, Daniel, I know," Erica replied. She sighed. "But I can't just walk away from what's going on here, either. I know my mom set Stellarman up to protect Earth, but the practices don't stop applying when you're somewhere else. Right?"

"Right…"

Erica nodded. Daniel wished her face was more than just a pair of white eyes. There was almost nothing to read about the alien visage claiming to be the true face of the girl he and the others had been getting used to as a member of their unit. A unit that was seeming a lot more like a group of disparate individuals lately. And not just because they'd been splitting up to find allies faster.

Daniel highly doubted Stellarman would be able to do much to stop them unless they could pull together like they had before. Probably, unless they pulled together even more than they had before. Vayon had a hell of a head start on them…

Erica blanched as on her end she suddenly felt a surge of power traveling through the equipment, then cried out as it passed through her body. Daniel's monitor erupted with static and whined with such distress he dove out of his chair and dashed into the hall. A minute later Erica's blank face appeared, with her eyes clenched almost shut.

"You okay?" Daniel exclaimed.

"I'm fine…eurngh," Erica panted. "Look Daniel, it's great to hear from you, and I you all the best of luck. But I really think I need to go and see what that was." Then the monitor went black.

"Damn it," Daniel mumbled. "Val, can you hear me?"

"Of course," the calm robotic voice replied.

"Good. Well then...speed this crate up, would you? If we're early, we'll go find Cliff and Catie. I hope they got better news than I did."

Aki sat around the corner from the room and sighed.

Cliff sighed and flipped his Stellphone shut. Even those had lost their power. He wished he'd been keeping track of the distance to their pick-up point. Caitlin's mood hadn't made focusing easy, though.

A part of him had to admit a grudging respect to Vayon for what had happened. Hiding a Truthbringer inside of one of those crystals. It was devious, and he could imagine some of the other teams and militaries Daniel was trying to make nice with had fallen it for themselves. At least it hadn't seemed like a particularly bright one, leaving them alone after sucking out their power.

Still, when Caitlin attacked the crystal this pointless trip had only gone from bad to worse. He wasn't sure what Daniel would be less pleased about, what happened to their mecha or the fact that they hadn't gotten in touch with another team after all.

Ahead of him, Caitlin stewed angrily in everything that had gone wrong since they'd been dropped off in the remnants of the United Kingdom. Or really, even before that when Daniel had said he was sending the both of them on this trip. Couldn't Cliff be off somewhere else, getting in touch with another team instead of tagging along with her? Wouldn't that have made Daniel's grand plan go a little faster? Couldn't Cliff at least have been sent along with Bohdi? They got along fairly well, from what little Caitlin bothered to notice.

Was Daniel implying she had be around to keep an eye on Cliff? Still? Did Daniel think they were "a great team" or some kind of crap like that?

She sighed to herself, trying to will the frustration of the trip away. Maybe Daniel'd sent the two of them because he'd heard about another team in this area, but hadn't actually heard of them being sighted for the last month. So it made sense to send more than one person to try to find them. Or find out if there was any finding them. Damn, this was all beginning to wear on her…

"Catie…," Cliff said slowly. Quietly. But with unmistakable urgency. Cruising over them at terrific speed was a red bullet-shaped ship. There was no missing the P emblazoned on the side even at the speed it was going. Or that it was heading back toward where they'd left their powerless Z-Machines.

"As if this day couldn't get any worse," she growled.


	35. Phase 34: Allegiance

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 34: Allegiance

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Cliff broke into a run back the way they'd come. Caitlin followed, soon overtaking him just as the Z-Machines came into view. Just as they'd expected, the Proxordo ship had landed nearby and Risen were ringing the fallen mecha.

If only that were all. The pig-faced Truthbringer that had beaten the Z-Machines had wandered back, probably drawn by the power source of the Risen ship. As it approached, though, an Amp-Risen dug a red stone out of a pouch on its belt and lobbed the stone into the Truthbringer's mouth. The monster swallowed, and then fell down on its huge fat haunches, knocking the closest Risen off their feet.

"What do we do now?" Cliff asked.

"Thought you were the big-time warrior or whatever," Caitlin grumbled.

"Are you kidding? Look at the size of that thing," Cliff whispered. "We could beat the Risen, easy, but that thing? We'd look like a pair of chicken nuggets to it."

"Well then, I guess the smart thing to do is go to the pickup after all and get reinforcements," Caitlin said, turned around again and started walking. Cliff followed, but the act seemed wrong. They were Stellarman. They'd been going on the offensive against Proxordo wherever those maniacs tried to shine the light of the so-called Fire of Truth. Stellarman wasn't supposed to walk away and let their enemies be. Especially not when those enemies had captured two pieces of their most powerful weapon.

More than that, it felt wrong to him, Cliff Ashford. He didn't walk away from fights. If he did, it would start all over again. The jeers, the pranks. The assumptions that he wouldn't try to defend himself from any of it. He wasn't weak, he wasn't scared of anything, and anyone who tried to tell him otherwise soon learned how wrong they were. That was why he'd agreed when Thebes had offered him the ring.

He probably wouldn't have picked the yellow suit, but apparently that had never been something he'd had a choice about. It was the part of the Starlight spectrum he could tap according to his genes. Now he knew just why that was.

And that was what had changed everything, wasn't it?

When they'd been called to the other side of the universe to help protect another planet, and learned about where exactly their ability to draw upon Starlight came from. If he'd known what he'd come back to find, Cliff might have cared enough to have asked his ancestor's name.

The fight wasn't the same anymore. Now Proxordo really was the big bully pushing everyone else around it had always wanted to be. But it was so much more, because it had to want something greater than being secure in its superiority. Didn't it? Didn't that mean Stellarman had all the more reason to stand up and fight Proxordo whenever, wherever they met?

And yet, now that they needed to stand and fight more than they ever had, they couldn't. They were supposed to be rounding up help so it wouldn't be just the five of them against a world-wide menace. And they were supposed to keep that menace from guessing what they were up to before they were ready to strike.

It was amazing, really, how quickly and utterly things could change without warning.

* * *

Twenty minutes went by without a word passing between the siblings. After while Cliff started wondering if they were even still going the right way, as the rolling hills and abandoned cars by the roadside were all looking alike. He at least hadn't bothered to remember the coordinates where Crux would pick them up, and given her frustration at the whole affair, he doubted Caitlin had either. He hadn't thought to grab any water before leaving Leo either, a mistake he was feeling ever more keenly as the sun beat down on them as they trudged along.

Then something flew at Caitlin's head. She ducked and a bolt of pink Starlight shot from her finger behind a hedge a ways off the road. A dust-coated teenager yelped and staggered into view, clutching his leg.

"And who the hell are you supposed to be?" Caitlin hissed.

Another teenager laughed and walked out from behind the hedge. "I don't know about him, but looks like we finally found ourselves someone worth talking to. One of them Stellarmen, if I'm not much mistaken. Except not much of a man, if I'm not much mistaken."

"Maybe you'd like a shot too," Caitlin said, in no mood for this fellow's crap.

"Or maybe we'd like your help," he said, running his fingers back through shaggy black hair.

"What do I look like, a homework hotline?"

"No, you look like somebody who can actually win a fight with those metal guys," he replied gravely. "We've tried, and got the third-degree burns to prove it."

"What exactly's going on, huh?" Cliff interrupted. "You guys don't look much like the fighting type."

The one Caitlin had singed sighed. "I told you they wouldn't help us, Ross."

"We didn't say that," Cliff replied. Caitlin said nothing. "What exactly is it you want help with? Vayon plant a crystal that smashed your whole town off the map or something?"

Ross shook his head. "No, some of our friends…well, they decided to join up with those metal guys a little while ago. We've been trying to get close enough to talk them out of it, but their new friends don't really like us trying to get them to leave…"

Caitlin stared at him. "You must be a cut above if you're still here to tell about it. Proxordo's gotten even nastier since we were away."

"That's a long story and one I'd rather not get into right now," Ross replied. "But look, you guys'll help us, right? That's what you guys do, fight Proxordo."

Cliff looked at his sister and shook his head. "Not yet."

"What the hell does that mean?" Ross demanded. "You've been fighting each other forever, and you come here and say 'not yet' you're not?"

"That's a long story, and one I'd rather not get into right now," Cliff answered.

The hardness drained from Ross's face. "Fair enough, I guess."

"We really need to get going if we're going to meet up with the others," Caitlin reminded her brother.

"Maybe we should see about helping some people in trouble," Cliff suggested. "I remember what we're trying to set up, but maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to hurt Proxordo a little while we're here after all. Besides, can we just leave the Z-Machines there?"

Caitlin was quiet for a while. "Maybe."

* * *

While he rested, StellarBurn shook in his tiny alcove. He saw himself flying along in Draco, when a wall of flame appeared below. It swept forward, engulfing a town, then a farmstead. A train roaring along its cross-country path ran right into the flame and was reduced to a charred mess. Everything left in the wall's wake was a scorched gray.

He soared above it, safe, but as the wall approached him and Draco it roared higher. High enough to strike them as well. Burn gasped and pulled back, causing Draco to arch sharply upwards to climb over the flames.

The flames rose higher still and covered Draco. Burn yelled and lashed out, willing his Starlight to form around him for protection.

The next thing he knew he was sitting in a pile of rubble, panting heavily. His entire body felt like fire had indeed passed over it, and as the feeling faded he felt another pain lingering. The slash running across his chest from his disastrous fight with Kamandetes still ached. How was that possible? The Starlight Suspension was supposed to heal anything. Was he so drained from all the fighting that it hadn't worked?

Oh well, he could try again once he and Draco were away from there. He didn't trust those miserable Risen not to report to Vayon where he was if he let them out of his sight for two long.

As Burn was walking back to the landing site, a Risen came around a hill and ran right into him. "Oh! Sir! I came to tell you the repairs are almost complete," she said with a salute, her arm quivering.

Burn said nothing as she led him back to Draco's resting place. The signs of damage from its fight with StellarFate were almost gone, with Risen replacing a few plates of armor that didn't match the overall color scheme, but that wasn't a pressing concern for StellarBurn.

"Nice job," was all he said as he watched. After the last plate was installed a few minutes later, Burn jogged up to the entrance hatch, climbed inside and hit the ignition switch without waiting for the Risen to clear the area. Once Draco was airborne he hit the "full diagnostic" function on the main computer to make sure they hadn't left any surprises for him.

As the computer ran a check on every single system in the titanic robot, Burn allowed his power to fade. If he hadn't, he had the feeling it would've done so on its own anyway.

Kyle got out a clean shirt from a storage compartment and threw the blood-soaked one he'd be wearing out a window. Then he sank into the pilot's seat with a sigh partly from exhaustion, partly from pain. His Ptolemic Machine was working again, or at least he was pretty sure it was, so that was something. He'd paid dearly trying to get that accomplished, though.

He had to rest, to wait for his powers to recharge enough for him to try another Starlight Suspension to heal his wound. But he wanted to stay awake until he heard back from the diagnostic. How long would that be, though? He'd never bothered to run one before.

Urrrrgh! Wasn't there anything certain in his life anymore? All because he'd followed Stellarman on one stupid outing…

A thought crossed his mind. With Draco repaired, maybe it was time to pay Kamandetes another visit. Not to be so gentlemanly this time. Smash his stupid construction project and remind that idiot knight who was really the boss. His chest ached again, and put Kyle off that plan until he'd had a chance to try another suspension. Kyle didn't even look to see how bad it wound was a reminder of a failure. That was too much already.

What to do, then? He sighed angrily and steered Draco out over the ocean, where at least he could brood in peace for a little while. After all, Vayon couldn't be planting those crystal towers of his in the middle of open water. Could he? All the other times Kyle had seen them, they'd been somewhere where they caused a lot of destruction just by growing up in that particular spot. Said a lot about the guy, really.

As Draco passed the coast and zoomed out over the ocean, Kyle saw something that seized his attention. A large ship, one that he guessed was probably an oil tanker or something owing to its size, steamed through the water just ahead of something just beneath the surface. By the huge streams of white water kicked up by its passing, something very big.

Like a Truthbringer.

Kyle smirked and looked down at his monitor again. A box with the letters "SYSTEMS NOMINAL" flashed at him, so he pressed a blue key and a fiery portal formed next to his dragon robot. From it leaped Delphinus which knifed through water beside him. Good, they hadn't found where he'd put the Beta Units. Boy were they about to learn what a mistake it was not to look.

Kyle hit the key that started Draco's transformation to its humanoid mode, then called, "Beta Cross!" The dolphin robot split apart and reattached to Draco as it finished its transformation and plunged into the water.

The Truthbringer looked like an enormous blue squid, but with so many tentacles flailing about it was almost impossible to make out anything else. As soon as it spotted Draco, it turned and swam toward the robot, countless tentacles reaching out for it. Draco brought up a powerful arm and batted away the first tentacles to get too close, the fin on its forearm chopping several clean off.

Bubbles floated out from a maw somewhere amid the monster's many arms and it tried to steer its bulk to the side, circling around Draco looking for a more vulnerable position to attack. Kyle had been in far more fights than the monsters, however, and turned Draco around and around to keep the Truthbringer in sight. Draco took a step toward the Truthbringer to attack, then all of a sudden its other foot caught on something on the sea bed and it tumbled to one knee.

This was a chance too good to pass up, or so the Truthbringer seemed to think. It surged toward Draco like some kind of evil forgotten god awoken from its sleep. Just before it could wrap its tentacles around Draco, Kyle grinned and uttered, "Aqua Dance." Delphinus's turbine mounted on the back roared to life and it shot straight toward the Truthbringer. Draco crashed into it and grabbed huge handfuls of the hideous thing's tentacles. Draco hurled the Truthbringer away, then aimed both fists at it.

"Pyro Pulse," he said, and the jets attached to Draco's arms started to spin whipping the waters up into a whirlpool that swelled larger and larger, reaching out for the Truthbringer.

But then, a jet of fire lanced out from Draco's chest and through the middle of the whirlpool just as the currents washed over the Truthbringer and tossed it end over end. The fire stabbed right through the enormous squid in a cloud of bubbles only a cloud of ashes were left. In another second those were dispersed as well by the fading whirlpool Draco had created.

Kyle grinned. "If you see Kamandetes, tell him he's next! Beta Break!" Delphinus disconnected from Draco and reformed into the red-armored dolphin before vanishing through another portal. Draco itself launched out of the water, sending the tanker he'd just saved bobbing chaotically in the water for a few minutes. As it rose into the clouds Draco shifted back into a dragon and flew away at top speed.

"What was that?" one of the crewmen asked another beside him as they looked around furtively to see if any other giant menaces were around. The other one cuffed him on the head.

"Don't you pay attention to anything? That was obviously one of the robots from one of those squadrons."

"What?"

The more attentive crewman sighed. "The ones fighting all the monsters like that? Trying to keep the rest of the world from getting wrecked? The parts that haven't been already?"

The other crewman's eyes went wide. "The world's been wrecked? How long have we been out here?"

His companion sighed, and turned to another crewman who'd dared to peek out of hiding to see how things had ended. "Did you see that? It looked like a huge dragon was flying away after all the noise!" he called.

"It wasn't a dragon, it was a robot! It killed whatever chasing us! It had to be one from one of those squadrons!"

"God, really? Wish it would've stuck around, I'd like to thank whoever was flying it."

* * *

The Ashfords were still silent as they watched from behind a jagged wall with the other two teens they'd picked up. It seemed to be becoming the norm for them. The pig-faced Truthbringer drag their lifeless Z-Machines along the pitted road leading to a metal wall. According to Ross, it was where the Proxordo presence in the area was headquartered. It was also obviously where they were taking the Z-Machines.

"Shouldn't we do something before the robots go inside?" asked Ross's friend. "Haven't we got a pair of real-life superheroes here? And how are we supposed to get inside and talk to the others after the door closes?"

"Quiet, John!" Ross hissed. In a softer voice he added, "Need new glasses? Can't see the giant pig there, maybe?"

"Both of you shut up before you give us away," Cliff hissed himself. "I'm going to go scope the place out."

"You?" Caitlin asked.

"Why not me?"

"No offense, Cliff, but you're hardly the most subtle person I know. What happens if they see you? They'll probably call up the monster, and what are two of us going to do against that thing with the Z-Machines in there?"

"Oh, please. Do you have any idea how many times I was out fighting and snuck back in without mom and dad knowing I was ever gone?"

"Yes," Caitlin replied. "Because you'd always tell me all about it the next day, if not that same night."

John and Ross exchanged glances. Cliff gaped at his sister. "I didn't do that all the time."

"Yes you did. Three nights a week you'd interrupt my homework so you could brag about how the guy who'd been bullying you left crying or holding a bloody nose. At least if it was the same nights every week-"

Cliff sighed irritably and slipped out from cover without listening to another word. There wasn't time and there was no point. The Truthbringer didn't even seem to be paying attention to its surroundings, and the Risen leading it to the wall was, probably wisely, focusing his own attention on the enormous power-sucking beast he was leading into it.

As he made his way unnoticed to a tiny rise in the ground and ducked behind it, though, Cliff balled his fists in irritation. The wall was at least twenty feet high, with no openings except the front gate and Risen sentries ringing the top. He was pretty sure he could jump the wall as StellarYellow, and even more sure he could handle the Risen with his Zodiac powers, but, he was loathe to admit, not so sure about the Truthbringer. Who was to say what other surprises might be inside that he couldn't see?

Wait a minute. Was he thinking of unseen dangers and realistic odds? Since when hadn't a good right fist and a giant hammer been enough assurance for him?

He kept circling around the camp, darting from cover to cover, looking for any vulnerability. Any blind spot in the sentries' ring of defense. Nothing he could see, and it was probably due to their recent acquisitions.

Still, maybe if he and Caitlin attacked quickly enough, and if the mecha's backup power hadn't been drained, they might be able to get the Z-Machines back and get away before the Truthbringer could stop them.

But what about Ross and John? Unless the Stellarmen could get away, AND if they took those two with, they were sure to be found, and who knew what Proxordo do to them?

And what about their friends? The ones who'd become Risen? How would a surprise attack, even if let him recapture the Z-Machines, help them try to talk their friends out joining up with Vayon's freak squad? Was that even possible, for Risen to desert?

He finished his circle around the camp, still spotting nothing that would help an attack. Finally he slipped back to the wall where the other three waited.

"See anything?" Ross asked.

"Lookouts everywhere, no other way in unless we want to go straight over the wall and let them see us."

"Last chance to take the straight way in," John said and pointed as the Truthbringer dragged the Z-Machines through the gate. Everyone else stayed where they were until the gate closed under the watchful eyes of the Risen sentries. Until one of the sentries turned toward where they were hiding, leaned forward and shot a fireball from the end of his torch at them.

"Cosmic Ascension!" Yellow and pink bursts surrounded the Ashfords as they transformed. Both gate sentries launched fireballs, but Yellow and Pink swatted the shots aside with their bare hands. The Risen fired again, the shots were batted away again, but the Truthbringer looked behind it, bellowed and cleared the wall in one step. Yellow ran in arc toward where its cloven hoof would fall, and sank his axe into its ankle. It didn't even notice.

Pink smacked her tonfas together to produce her bow and loosed an arrow that whipped the torch out of a Risen's hand. "Shining Barrage," she whispered, and let fly with a stream of arrows as she rotated the bow in an arc. A few did as the arrow before had and disarmed her enemies, but a few Risen took the hit right on the chest and went down. The helmet of one of her fallen opponents, if they could really be called that after going down so easily, rolled to a stop at her feet. Its owner glared at her, the grimace of pain from the simmering hole in his chest plate almost unnoticeable, and clenched his torch as he climbed to his feet and actually charged StellarPink by himself.

She tripped the overconfident Risen and then turned and loosed an arrow at the Truthbringer as it was about to stomp on Yellow. The porcine beast turned in Pink's direction as it noticed the glowing arrow whistling toward it, just in time to catch Pink's shot right in the eye. It snorted in pain and wheeled back, crushing part of the wall with a blind stomp of its cloven hoof.

With the monster distracted and the Risen down, Pink noticed that John and Ross had run over and were kneeling down by the Risen she'd just tripped. He still held his torch, yet he wasn't doing anything to attack.

"Well, look who it is," he said to them with a certain familiar irritation.

"Luke, come on!" Ross said, grabbing the Risen by the arm and trying to drag him away. The Risen pulled away and picked up his helmet.

"When are you two gonna get it?" he growled. "It's over. We were fighting for the wrong side before. I'm fighting for the right one now. We're gonna wipe out everything that's wrong with this planet and start over. This time we'll get it right."

Pink whacked him on the back of the head with her bow. "Boy, it sure is a good thing Vayon's around to do the thinking for everybody else," she said.

"Where's Vic?" John interrupted.

The Risen looked up at Pink, no doubt glaring at her, then back at them. "Gone. They send people where they need people. It's got nothing to do with who you were friends with before."

The Truthbringer snorted angrily and blinked its eyes, then glared down at the one who'd nearly blinded it and squealed just before it charged. Pink slammed the Risen over the head, knocking him out, and hoisted him onto one shoulder as the four of them ran for all they were worth. The Truthbringer squealed again, sounding almost as if it were savoring an easy victory when Pink and Ross broke off one way and Yellow and John went the other. It stopped in its giant tracks, casting its ungainly head back and forth as its nearly non-existent mind tried to choose who to pursue. It clutched its head, squealed in fury and stomped off away from both its prey and the encampment.

The Amp-Risen looked over the gaping hole in the wall of his base and sighed. "Figures I'd get stuck watching a monster with no brain. Some first command…"

* * *

The two groups met up once the Truthbringer was gone, and after running for ten minutes Luke was starting to stir. They set him down and propped up his gunmetal gray head, but Cliff and Caitlin didn't revert yet, just in case.

"How many times are we gonna do this?" Luke groaned, even after seeing the colorful figures standing over him. He clenched his torch but Yellow pinned the arm to the ground with his boot.

"Until you admit you're playing for the wrong side," John said.

Luke grunted and tried to pull his arm out from under Yellow's foot, realized he wasn't going to win and gave up. "WE were playing for the wrong side. We always were. Everything this stupid society of ours ever came up with destroys the planet and we call it 'progress.' Nobody can change anything without everyone else getting all up in arms. Starting a new order's the only way to make things different."

"Wuss," Pink muttered.

"Oh and you've got it all figured out, huh?" Luke snarled. "You're just like all the others. Like I used to be. Just ignoring what we're doing to the world, to everything, and patting yourself on the back for it."

"Because it's so much easier to decide for the whole human race, isn't it?" she countered. "To decide everyone who doesn't think like you needs to go, so everyone who does think like you can create the perfect world, huh? Hate to be the one to tell you, but it'd only be perfect because nobody there disagrees with you. Until somebody does."

"What do you know?"

"I know we weren't all made different so one person could decide everyone who wasn't like him needed to go," Pink answered. "We've got a name for someone like that, you know. Tyrant."

Luke howled and yanked his arm free then jumped up and brandished his torch at StellarPink. John and Ross took a step back. She didn't flinch, didn't bring up her own weapon to counter him, even when the tip of the torch ignited.

"It's people like you who are the problem. You can't accept that only a fresh start's going to give us another chance to live a better way," he said.

"Because bombing the old way of life off the map's so much easier than actually trying to work with other people to fix what's wrong," Pink said calmly. "Solve the problem by blowing it up, so the only people left are the ones who already agree with you. Is that what you're saying? Because that's what I'm hearing."

"You don't-"

"Don't I?" Pink challenged. "Then why are you still listening to me, and not trying to shut me up with your big scary weapon?"

"Oh, so it isn't okay if he gets rid of any opposition, but anyone who doesn't like his message can blow him up?" Luke protested.

"We did try talking to him. He dropped us in a room with people like you and then sent a dragon after us, and sent a monster to bust up our city. Just to see what we'd do. I feel pretty good about saying people have a right to defend themselves from somebody like that."

Luke growled to himself, then put his helmet back on and turned and stalked away from his stunned former friends. "You two think about what we were trying to protect. You'll be joining up with me after you do."

"Shouldn't we stop him?" Yellow asked.

"He's not going back to Proxordo," Pink replied. "Not yet, anyway."

Yellow looked over at her. "Are we?"

Her suit shimmered away, and Caitlin shook her head. "Nope. We get to walk to the rendezvous. And hope we get there and back before Vayon or one of his guys gets here."

Yellow shimmered back to Cliff and was about to follow when Ross clapped him on the shoulder. "Thanks, mate. I mean, even if it didn't turn out how we hoped."

"Sorry about my sister provoking him like that."

John shook his head. "Honestly, I didn't expect anything less from Luke. Maybe some people never really change. On the inside, I guess."

"Maybe some do," Cliff said quietly. He ran off after Caitlin, and a minute later overtook her. Caitlin started to call after him, then shook her head and just ran. Cliff looked over his shoulder and attempted a smile, then stopped as he spotted a shadowy shape approaching them from behind. Coming closer was a dark shape overhead. Caitlin saw it too, but smiled wearily again as she recognized the four X-shaped craft just before a beam descended from the center and swallowed them up.

Standing beside the pad where they reappeared was Bohdi, his flat face as impassive as ever. "I hope the news isn't too bad. I'm starting to worry about Daniel," he said.

"No new friends," Cliff explained. "At least, well…the team we were sent here to find, it's gone. And we ran into a real nasty Truthbringer when we were down there, too. It kind of stole the Z-Machines. Right after it sucked their power right out."

"Eh," said another voice as its owner, Daniel, entered the room. "That just means we need to go get 'em back. Anything we should know about this Truthbringer before we go down there?"

"There's a couple things," Caitlin began to explain.

* * *

"Everybody set?" StellarRed asked as the console in front of him finished lighting up.

"Ready," Black said.

"All systems go!" Blue called back.

"Focus, Aki," Red replied, exasperation in his voice.

"Yeah…I'm ready."

"Then…launch!" Red yelled. The bay doors opened and the three Z-Machines hurled themselves out into the air. Immediately below was the Proxordo camp, with the other two mecha lying in the center.

Risen were fleeing like mad already as the titanic machines landed with ground-shaking force. Immediately Pink and Yellow dashed out of Capricon, each carrying a silver device the size and shape of a briefcase. They ran to their fallen Z-Machines, popped a hatch on the side and slipped the device inside. A second later, they jerked spasmodically and started to automatically get to their giant metal feet.

"It worked!" Yellow exclaimed. Indeed, the Starlight reactors were humming again thanks to the emergency batteries. The sound of the reactor was slow and labored, as opposed to its usual almost imperceptible hum.

"Get on board, it looks like we're not alone!" Red warned him.

The pig-like Truthbringer was charging toward them, both the ground and its pendulous gut both shaking and its angrily squeal filling the air. Sagittarius and Leo were sluggishly climbing back up, and Pink and Yellow boarded them before the mecha had finished getting to their metal feet.

"Valentine, get ready to pick us-" Black began, but Red cut him off.

"Star Cross!" The Z-Machines raced into the air, Leo and Sagittarius trailing behind, and with a dimmer flash than before, StellarFate appeared and crashed to the ground in front of the monster.

"That was only an emergency boost so they could get away get away," Black reminded him. "We're not nearly at full power with them in that shape."

"We don't need full power, just look at that thing," Red retorted. "If we stay away from the mouth and hair we'll be fine."

The time for debate was over, as the Truthbringer lunged at StellarFate mouth-first. StellarFate grabbed it out of the air by its flabby shoulders, lifted the monster high and body-slammed it down. The ground caved in fifteen feet where the monster landed.

The Truthbringer suddenly rolled toward StellarFate, knocking the mighty robot forward to collapse on top of it. The Truthbringer sank its teeth into StellarFate's metal boot, but the robot kicked hard and its porcine head snapped back. StellarFate rolled off the monster and kicked it hard, sending the Truthbringer rolling away like a giant pink soccer ball.

Before the pig-like beast could get to its feet StellarFate stomped to its side. "Atropos Fencer!" Red called and a blade of energy formed from the pod on the robots forearm. Just as the Truthbringer managed to plant its cloven feet StellarFate lashed out with its blade and sliced into the monster's belly. Gouts of the Fire of Truth spilled from the wound, along with pink and yellow sparks the size of cars.

The Truthbringer squealed and clamped its jaws around StellarFate's arm, sucking the energy from the mighty robot. "Energy's dropped to forty-two percent!" Black yelled. StellarFate's arm started to sag. "Thirty-two!"

"Then stop sitting there yelling numbers in my ear and do something about it!" Red yelled and jammed a lever into the cosole. StellarFate shoved its arm forward and the blade sliced into the monster's mouth. As its jaws opened for it to squeal out its pain, StellerFate raised its arm, lifting the monster off the ground before smashing the beast down onto its back.

"Atropos Shear," Red called and the blades on StellarFate's arms jutted outward another twenty feet. They flickered with the strain this put on the robot's dwindling power supply, but StellarFate stepped forward and slashed them across the Truthbringer's chest in a great outward arc. Another flaming gash formed, but the flames spread outward from it until they covered the monster completely. The glare as it burned away to nothing could be seen for miles.

In the distance, a single Risen watched the burst of light signaling the monster's demise, donned his helmet, and walked away.

* * *

Another section lit up blue on the monitor in front of Kamandetes, and a dry sigh that it would take one a moment to recognize as one of satisfaction. Certainly Kamandetes was not a man known for his good humor.

"Sir?" an almost inaudible voice asked from behind.

"Speak up," the black knight growled at being interrupted.

"Sir…Master Vayon has asked me to deliver news to you," a Risen said as he slinked into Kamandetes's control room. "Apparently Prox Grasp was destroyed early yesterday by the dragon robot controlled by StellarBurn."

"I'll see to him soon enough," Kamandetes said dismissively.

"That's not all, sir. Prox Maw was destroyed as well, by Stellarman. According to the personnel present it had managed to drain the power from two of their robots, yet they were able to combine and destroy it with what they had left. Master Vayon is concerned. Even with only part of its power, this robot's obviously a force to be reckoned with."

"You tell Master Vayon not to worry," Kamandetes replied. "Progress is ahead of schedule. Within days, we'll be able to roll out and wipe all the Stellarmen off the face of the Earth."


	36. Phase 35: Strain

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 35: Strain

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

The Truthbringer's taloned fingers would've been useless against StellarFate's shield, but they were proving just as useless against the gigantic robot's ordinary armor. A metal fist capped with a glowing blade lashed out and cut across the monster's cheek. She screamed and took several football field-long steps back.

"My FACE!" Prox Harpy wailed, a flaming gash running up one cheek of the monster's flawless porcelain features. Slowly the contours of her face, her supple lips, those bottomless watery eyes melted away. Her eyes erupted with the same flame as her wound, her perfect even teeth deformed into fangs, and her ivory skin turned a grisly shade of gray.

The talons that sang through the air toward StellarFate were even longer and sharper than before, but its great metal hand seized the monster's wrist before they could make contact with its armor. Another hand shot out, and again StellarFate grabbed it at the wrist.

"You took my FACE!" the Truthbringer howled, even though the wound was closing up as the two giants struggled. The flesh along her back peeled away and two huge bat-like wings unfurled. With a sudden kick she knocked StellarFate to the ground and ascended into the sky.

The Truthbringer went into a divebomb at StellarFate. Its fiery eyes burned even brighter as she came down and the pendulous robot struggled to get to its feet in time to defend itself. The Truthbringer plunged closer and closer, screaming like a banshee which it by then very much resembled. StellarFate had just gotten its feet under itself when something flew into the Truthbringer.

"What?" she screamed just before a row of sharp metal feathers sliced into her chest and face. Their owner, Corvus the crow, flew upward, swooped back down and stabbed at Prox Harpy's face with a sharp metal beak again and again, marring her features even further.

The Truthbringer shrieked so high in rage it would've shattered every window around if there still were any. The cry pushed her attacker back, and the robotic bird tumbled head over feet a few times before righting itself and soaring up, above the assault. Prox Harpy was turning her attention back toward StellarFate below when Corvus shot past and slashed with its razor-edged wings again. Prox Harpy snarled and flew after the bird.

"I'll make you as ugly as meeeeeeeeeeee!" Prox Harpy wailed, and Corvus was buffeted by the scream but dove down and escaped the worst of it before pulling back up and luring the monster farther into the sky.

"Gotta catch me first, freak!" Blue yelled back and sent Corvus into a steep downward bank. Prox Harpy swooped after it, shrieking like a banshee the entire time. Corvus ascended again as the ground loomed up to meet them, with Prox Harpy right behind it and reaching out for the bird's talons with dark, clawed fingers.

Suddenly Corvus spun around and came rocketing back at Prox Harpy, grabbing the monster's leathery wings in its shining talons, and raked her shoulders with its wings when she tried to grab Corvus's legs.

Then, Corvus went into a power-dive, straight toward the waiting StellarFate. Prox Harpy screamed and struggled in Corvus's grip, but within seconds she was within reach of StellarFate's flashing blades.

"Atropos Shear!" Stellarman cried. Their robot's blades flared as it swept them in an outward arc the slashed clean through the Truthbringer. She dissolved into cinders with a last wailing cry.

"That's one less monster we gotta worry about," Yellow laughed, then offered his hand to Red for a high-five. It wasn't taken.

"Yeah, that only leaves about infinity more," Red said wearily. "Or how ever many Vayon can make. Val, come pick us up. We're done here. Nice flying, Blue."

"Thanks," Blue replied as she set Corvus down beside StellarFate. Her voice was thankful, but cautious. A moment later a shaft of light descended and covered the mecha, hauling them back inside the hangar of their mobile base. Red got up silently and left the cockpit.

"Is he still mad about that being away for months thing?" Yellow asked, sounding a bit exasperated. "He seemed okay after we got back."

"He also saw Cape Lombard wasn't the only city Proxordo blew the hell up pretty much as soon as we took our little show on the road," Blue reminded him. "Probably got him to thinking about how much we're really fighting for."

"He IS the leader of Stellarman, you guys," Pink said.

"He's also just one man, Caitlin," Black replied. "Has he ever once come to any of you to ask for help in managing this global alliance he's trying to put together, except to spread out and be the one to ask for their help? Ever asked to help you plan anything out or with other logistics? Or anything? Have any of you actually talked to Erica since we were able to get a link up to Ikardaa?"

"Wait, we've got a link going to Ikardaa?" Pink asked in surprise.

"Only sometimes. Hard to get good reception from the other side of the universe," Black said and faded back to Bohdi. "Anyway, from the little I can get out of him Daniel's been listening to her talk about the problems she's dealing with back there. Something about lazy officials and people wanting to leave. Daniel's probably thinking about what he can do about that, too."

"Oh for God's sake," Blue facepalmed, a position she maintained as she reverted to Aki. "Like he's not coming apart from having one planet to save…"

"Speaking of that," Valentine's electronic voice interrupted over StellarFate's comlink, "We're getting a feed from Agent I. Daniel, can you hear me?"

"I can hear you," he responded over the com as well. "Put it through, hurry."

The others stiffened at the significance of what they were hearing. "Agent I" was Haikoga, the dragon-like being who was an officer in Proxordo. In name, anyway. For the last couple of weeks he'd been feeding them inside information whenever he could sneak away. It was why they'd been able to stop four new pillars from being erected and killed an equal number of powerful Truthbringers. To say nothing of the other teams like themselves and remaining militaries they'd been able to form alliances with.

The thing was, Haikoga couldn't risk an actual conversation with them as he had to keep his messages as brief as possible for the sake of his secrecy. This feed was no different. "Bad news. Vayon's put together some kind of special task force to get rid of you. Don't know specifics, no one does, only that if it doesn't work, Kamandetes is coming up with something even nastier. Keep an eye out." Then the com went quiet.

"So…business as usual," Cliff muttered.

"Sounds like we should get some rest," Bohdi advised the others.

"I'm going to check on Daniel," Aki announced and started out.

"Do you really think it'll do any good, if it hasn't yet?" Caitlin asked.

"How'd you get onto this team with an attitude like that, again?" Aki retorted.

"I'm just saying that Daniel's hard to talk out of something once he's gotten an idea into his head," Caitlin said. "He probably thinks it's what great leaders do, or something."

"Oh, bull!" Aki cried. "When did you start being Cliff?"

Cliff started to open his mouth to refute the statement, but then Caitlin did something none of them but Aki seemed to be expecting. She took a swing at Aki's head, but Aki ducked back and seized her by the arm. They struggled backward onto the gantry leading to the robot's cockpit, with a fierce of long-contained frustration finally seeing release on Caitlin's face.

"Gee, I only came home to deal with that crap every day of my life since I was a kid!" she practically screamed. "Guess it was only a matter of time before it started rubbing off on me!"

The girls struggled until Aki's back was against the safety railing, then she suddenly lashed out with her leg and knocked Caitlin's own feet out from under her. Caitlin was in a team like Stellarman's for a reason, though, and grabbed Aki's arm and pulled her down as well.

"Should we do something?" Bohdi asked

Cliff gave him a bemused look. "Have you even seen two girls fight before?"

Indeed, the struggle was growing more aggressive even as they watched. Crouched on her knees, Caitlin had pointed her fingernails like claws at Aki's eyes, who was jamming her knee up against Caitlin's midriff and holding onto Caitlin's wrists to hold her at bay. Neither one looked anything like the highly-trained combatants that had been going toe-to-toe with all manner inhuman foes. Just two teenagers having a spat.

"Every! Damn! Day!" Caitlin snarled. "You have NO idea what it was like!"

"Oh yeah?" Aki yelled right in her face. "Try having SIX little kids you're supposed to be looking out for! Setting a good example for! And your parents are always breathing down your neck to do a complete 180 with your personality! I bet you know ALL about THAT!"

Caitlin hissed and yanked her hands free from Aki, but instead of going on the attack again rocked backward and stood up, then stomped out of the hangar. No apology, no threats, no words at all.

"Boy, I'm liking our odds against this task force," Cliff sighed.

* * *

The wall before Vayon's meditation chamber was, as always, illuminated by a sheet of the Fire of Truth. As always, it showed visions of his followers' activity from afar. But as of late, what he was shown alarmed him more and more.

On the wall was a map of Earth's landmasses, with bright points of light indicating veritium pillars, and shimmering lines running between them back to a meeting point. As he beheld the sight, though, a point in central Russia went out and the lines leading away from it faded as well. Another in southern Africa blipped out of existence as well, and more lines faded.

"Almighty Fire of Truth, show me that which spites our efforts!" Vayon cried out. He reached out with all the capacity to shape the Fire he'd mastered, and the vision on the wall shifted. A giant humanoid machine, the like of which he'd grown all too familiar with over the past year, smashed a giant Truthbringer with a ghostly lion's face that blasted from the machine's chest. That would make it the one they called the Great Bast, the one used by that team called…Felinger, he believed.

Again the images swirled and reformed, and Ted Alcazar's tank battalion destroyed another pillar even as it started to grow. Risen were fleeing in all directions from the artillery fire. Then images swirled away to be replaced by a display of another scene of battle. One going badly for his followers, he didn't need to guess.

A ship full of veritium ore bound for a suitable site to replace a destroyed pillar was shot down by a group of metal dragons and bellied in hard on a stretch of barren land.

Vayon clutched his staff so hard in rage his knuckles would've turned white if his skin hadn't already been so pale. He waved the staff into the visions, dispelling them, then pointed his staff at the doors to his meditation chamber and they swung open by themselves.

"Dione!" he called.

At once his blue-maned confidant was drifting into the room. "Yes, Master Vayon?"

"Has the task force been briefed?" he asked, an angry frown forming on his normally serene face.

Dione took a second to answer, her bronze eyes taking in the sight of her leader's state uneasily. "Yes…they've been briefed. We're just waiting to determine Stellarman's likely next destination before being sent out."

Vayon acknowledged the reply with a terse grunt. "Good. Round up every Risen in the city and get them ready for another scouting mission. Ore supplies are running low again."

"But sir…" Dione started to protest, then stopped herself.

Her leader's response to her protestation was to angrily bang his staff on the floor. Dione shuddered at the harsh, ringing sound. "Yes, Dione?" he whispered menacingly.

"Most of the worlds we've been tapping for ore are mined out. The only ones with any left are the ones we determined to be most inhospitable. This isn't exactly a common good we're tracking down…"

"But it is one we're running out of thanks to those bloody robots," Vayon snapped. "We were only three pillars away from having enough power to finally be able to strike. Now we're sixteen behind."

"If I may, sir?" Dione asked quietly, afraid for herself, but also for her leader. Once, he'd been the very image of a man who really had discovered a higher purpose and left the anger of ordinary life behind him. Lately the strain of carrying out his vision had been wearing at him, as the setbacks continued to pile up that image was slipping, especially around the few members of Proxordo to be taken into his confidence.

"Speak," was the brusque reply.

"Perhaps we can get by with a few less pillars, Master Vayon?" Dione suggested. "The Fire is so potent, surely we can do with a few less emitters."

Vayon snarled. "No, no we cannot. We are talking about changing the face of the entire world, something that requires every bit of power I can marshal. There is no doing this halfway."

"It's just that seeing you in such a state worries me for your sake, Master Vayon."

"Then get out there and do something about the delays," he retorted and turned away. "You waste your time and mine and staying here, distracting me with your pity."

Dione nodded, and then drafted backwards toward the door. "I suppose that's the best thing I could be doing," she murmured as she saw herself out. He was already waving his staff at the wall and a swirl of Fire appeared.

He's right, you know, a snide voice whispered in Dione's ear. You could be doing so much more with your time…

Ordinarily, Dione would've angrily shut down her alter ego's claims, but this wasn't ordinary even for Proxordo. Maybe it was the best way for her to serve their cause after all.

She sped out of Vayon's private tower to where the Truthbringer task force was awaiting deployment.

* * *

"Are we ready?"

"Are you sure this is such a good idea, so soon after the last time?" R'kana replied more quietly.

Erica's form twitched a little at the question. It was true she had plenty to think about right there on Ikardaa, but she was getting eager to hear how things were going back home, too. In addition to Proxordo's expanded scope, Daniel had been seeming particularly on-edge when they checked in. Candidly, Erica didn't think much of the chances for Stellarman's plan of a unified front if the ones overseeing things couldn't do so with a steady hand.

And who said it had to be just one hand?

Power flowed from Erica into the machine, and by this point she could feel the beam reaching out across the galaxy to Earth, feel it dispersing into the millions of tiny electronic pathways of Crux's communication system. Then she sensed contact, but was surprised to see who she'd reached.

"Valentine?"

"Hello, Erica. How are things there?" the robot answered.

"They're, well, they're stable for now. I was kind of expecting to see Daniel. Kind of hoping, really."

Valentine nodded slowly, comprehending. "He's not here, he wanted us to personally deal with reports of a Truthbringer in this area."

"How is he, these days?"

Valentine made a noise that it took Erica a second to recognize as a sigh. "I worry about him. From what the others were saying this morning, it sounds like all do. We're making progress, but I don't think it's fast enough for Daniel."

"How bad is it?" Erica asked, hesitantly.

"A lot of cities are gone, like Cape Lombard. Vayon's left most of the world capitals up and running, but anywhere he decided to drop a crystal's just been charred away to nothing. Personally, I think he leveled Cape Lombard out of spite."

"Sounds like somebody who has monsters do his dirty work," Erica agreed. "I really wish I could be there to help you guys."

Valentine electro-sighed again. "It could only help us. I swear-" She was cut off as suddenly all of R'kana's equipment went dark. The drain on Erica's energy to power the transmission was thrown back into her so suddenly she fell to the ground and crouched on all fours panting.

After a minute, Erica had recovered enough to emit a soft violet glow to light up the room, and looked up at R'kana. "What the hell just happened?"

"I think," R'kana said ominously, "we've been found."

* * *

All around were the sounds of battle, but StellarRed didn't allow himself to be distracted anymore than he had to be. His enemy was one of the strangest he'd ever fought, and if he let his concentration slip for a second, it could be all over.

"Listen to the screams," the thin voice whispered in his ear. Indeed he could hear screams. Of pain, of fear, of resignation. Fire sizzled, blades rang against each other, explosions burst in the distance. In the distance…the rest of Stellarman was dying.

Red clutched the hilt of his sword and mustered all of his willpower to banish the panic that was brewing in the corners of his mind. He just had to hold himself together a little longer. Until he had a target.

His grip on his sword quivered, and the strength started to leave his legs and slowly Red sank to his knees. His breathing grew slower, and heavier. The sounds of destruction and dying got louder in his ears. Panic crept into his mind. It was hopeless. It was all hopeless. All the fighting with Proxordo, Stellarman had never really had a chance from the beginning. His sword slipped from his hand.

"Marvelous thing, isn't desolation?" a high, nasal voice asked as a shape melted out of a shadow and approached StellarRed. "Expands and destroys everything else in your mind that gets in its way. Confidence, love, loyalty…"

The speaker was a morose-looking man with a shock of unkempt red hair and a long, hooked nose. He didn't bother to look Red in the visor as he continued. "Takes all those niggling problems, drives away. Replaces with the only real certainty, that you'll fail, everything you do is pointless."

Suddenly a streak of gold flew out and the morose-looking man staggered back, clutching at a wound on his chest from which Fire was seeping out. StellarRed was back on his feet, hands clenched around his sword as he dashed forward to press his attack.

"Looks like it even wipes out how to spot an obvious an obvious trick," Red growled as his sword bit into the Truthbringer's shoulder. He yowled in pain and turned to run, already becoming dark and insubstantial as it did, but Red was too fast.

"Horns of Knossos!" he yelled and dashed at the miserable creature. His body burned with crimson Starlight as he rammed into the Truthbringer and shattered him to bits. The screams, the explosions, immediately the stopped.

Red's hand was on his communicator at once, in case the Truthbringer reappeared as giant as they always did. A minute passed. Then two. No giant Truthbringer. The sky was even starting to brighten with its demise. "Vayon's slipping," Red muttered.

Then it felt like five red-hot fingers were sinking into Red's brain. His entire body spasmed with the agony, but he couldn't find his voice to cry out. All at once, the pain stopped.

And standing in front of him was Vayon himself.

The armor was a little different, but the palpable feeling of unshakable conviction and searing power coming off him in waves were the same. Only more intense than the last time they'd met in person.

"There you are," Vayon said simply, much more quietly but just as intensely Red would've expected.

"Finally decided you're done hiding behind all your stupid monsters?" Red asked, leveling his sword at his enemy. His grip was quivering, however. Was he really that scared of Vayon, after everything else he'd been through to make it this far?

"You might say that," Vayon replied, anger creeping in. Red's unsteady grip probably wasn't doing anything to help upset it. "It's always been you and your little group, StellarRed. You were powerful, so I offered to let you join me. You chose to fight me instead, so you became a means to establishing Proxordo's power in the minds of the people.

"Then you were gone, and I was a loss. Nearly a year, I carried on. Cities fell, armies that thought too much of themselves were crushed, and conduits were constructed. Other groups like Stellarman appeared, but every one of them was a pale imitation. Some have even fallen to Truthcraft.

"Now, you're back. Stronger weapons, stronger powers. Setting my work back faster than any of these imitators of yours. Forcing me to send my followers into ever more hellish places to find the means to replace the conduits you destroy. You've even allowed your bodies to be altered to continue fighting with me.

"And I want to thank you for it. Well, you and your whole group of colorful miscreants. I thought I was merely meant to just show how powerful the Fire made me and then I'd simply remake the world as it should be. You and your friends were put here to make sure I'm worthy of my task. Thank you. I'm still going to crush you, and very soon, but thank you." He said as if he was looking forward to the chance.

Red's reply was a wild slash with his sword, but Vayon casually raised his staff and parried the strike. Red drew back and stabbed at Vayon's throat, but the ruler of Proxordo whirled his staff and knocked the weapon from Red's gloved hand.

"Thank you again for showing your commitment to YOUR task," Vayon said. "The Fire will either temper or consume us all. You seem determined to be one of the latter. I'll be happy to oblige you." Vayon clenched his staff.

"Horns of Knossos!" Red growled and charged blindly at his ultimate enemy. A second later he felt himself smash through something. He dared to look back, and saw no trace of Vayon. Just the remains of something that could hardly have been called a brick wall even before he'd hit with his dash.

"Daniel?" Blue's panicked voice called out. She ran around the edge of a decrepit building and saw him there on the ground panting, his sword lodged blade-first in the ground twenty feet away. "What happened? I heard you use two charges…was the Truthbringer that strong?"

"The Truthbringer was nothing," Red grunted. "What about Vayon? Where'd he go?"

Blue looked around anxiously for a second, then back at Red. "Vayon was here? Are you sure?"

"Why do you think I'd do a second charge so soon after the last one?" Red snapped and got to his feet with an effort. "How's everything else?"

"That's part of why I was coming over," Blue said. "There's this-" She started to say, and then had no need to as a dazzling sphere of light shot over the battlefield then started descending.

The sphere shrank and reformed as it neared the ground, taking on two human shapes. Human was too strong for the first one, made up of glistening faceted surfaces with jagged shards extending out form its torso, shoulders and in place of fingers and hair. As the light faded it looked to be made out of solid, transparent ice.

The other, they recognized. It had been a while since their paths crossed, but the red and black outfit, the dark blue hair, and the welcoming smile couldn't have belonged to anyone but Dione. The beacon to lost souls.

"We meet again, Stellarman," she smiled. "For the last time, I'm afraid."


	37. Phase 36: Purpose

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 36: Purpose

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

"Break!" StellarRed yelled, and he and Blue took off at a run in opposite directions as the icy Truthbringer held up his hands and erupted a cone of frost from between them.

"Blizzard, get the red one," Dione said with a sigh. Then with a mental effort her shadow solidified into her darkling copy and rocketed toward StellarBlue as the young warrior came circling around to attack Prox Blizzard from the side.

Dishadow grinned, her fangs looking even longer and sharper than the last time any of Stellarman had seen her. Just like the claws that flashed out from her fingertips and raked into Blue's side. She gasped, but spun with the momentum and brought up her foot to slam it into the side of Dishadow's head. The clone spat and recoiled, regarding her opponent a little more warily now.

A ragged bush froze and shattered just behind Red. Prox Blizzard kept up his icy barrage as Red jumped and rolled over abandoned cars and hunks of concrete. He would've seen covered in a sheet of hoarfrost if he'd bothered to look back.

He didn't. He didn't need to; he could feel the biting cold an inch behind him. The Truthbringer was tracking him, and with a relentless attack like that it seemed only a matter of time until it caught him.

Lucky for him, it seemed totally oblivious to how as StellarRed was dodging over the landscape trying to stay a step ahead of its onslaught he'd actually been running in a shrinking circular motion. Gradually closing the distance between them. Until he was close enough to suddenly crouch, pivot and jump straight at Prox Blizzard, sword aimed right between the creature's luminous eyes. A spray of ice dust issued from the wound and it stumbled back.

StellarRed knew better than to let up. Again his blade whistled through the air, and bit into the Truthbringer's shoulder. Another spray of ice dust went up, this one smaller. Prox Blizzard was unfazed, and raised its other hand to unleash another ice blast right into StellarRed's face.

Red's visor was immediately covered with frost, and it was all he could do to keep his target in sight. Especially as a jagged ice chip stabbed into his side, even through his protective uniform. Then another lodged in his arm. It was all Red could do not to cry out.

His fingers and arms were already going numb from the biting cold, making even more of an effort to keep his grip on his weapon. The blood trickling from his wounds, with the warmth of his body seeming to drain even more quickly, seized at his attention, but Red refused to let it distract him from thoughts of defeating his enemy.

The tip of his sword hit Prox Blizzard's side and skittered off uselessly. There was a high-pitched sound like two panes of glass rubbing together, and in Red's embattled mind he realized it was probably the Truthbringer's laugh.

"Laugh this off…," he gasped. "VERMILLION CUT!" His sword erupted with red Starlight, while the circuitry beneath his skin started to glow so brightly with the power he was channeling it literally burned against his flesh. His next swing cut through the very onslaught of jagged ice chips before it made contact with Prox Blizzard's thigh and melted through it.

Then the light engulfing his weapon went out. Red's circuitry dimmed until it was nearly out. And StellarRed collapsed.

Dishadow dug the claws on both hands into StellarBlue's chest, sending sparks flying up and Blue tumbling backwards. She planted her hands behind her as she fell and rolled back into a crouch. Dishadow rushed forward again, thrusting and slashing with her claws in a frenzy. Blue got to her feet and started to dodge and weave with all the speed her enhanced powers allowed, but Dishadow had no trouble keeping up with her, sending her spinning with a few vicious strikes.

Blue cries out as one especially nasty slash dug into her arm. She recoiled, but as she did whipped the grip off her belt and it immediately extended into its trident form.

"You're in my way," Blue snarled.

"Then move me," Dishadow chuckled.

"Blue Prong!" StellarBlue called out, and as with Red the tip of her weapon erupted with a plume of her Starlight. She gripped the haft near the bottom and swung it back and forth as she advanced on Dishadow. Dione's darkling counterpart sneered and kept a safe distance as the blue energy sizzled past her, keeping her gleaming claws poised to strike back.

All of a sudden Blue gripped the trident tightly and thrust it straight at Dishadow. She laughed as she dodged it with ease and lunged at Blue's side, but was in for an unpleasant surprise. Blue dropped her weapon and lashed with a kick, her leg traveling upward in a ferocious arc that caught Dishadow on the chin and lofted her off the ground. Time seemed to slow down as Blue pressed her attack, jumping into the air and aiming herself downward at Dishadow's midsection.

"Capricorn Kick!" StellarBlue's entire body erupted with a sheath of her Starlight she went into a diagonal kick. Her foot slammed into Dishadow, and the inhuman combatant screamed and her body hit the ground crackling with jagged bolts of blue power.

StellarBlue retrieved her trident and ran over to where Prox Blizzard and Red lay. Prox Blizzard had grabbed its severed leg and was holding it in place, and new ice was already forming to reattach it. Blue aimed her trident at its head but Prox Blizzard simply raised a hand and a shield of packed ice formed in front of it.

She was about to swing again when Red groaned, low and pitiful. Blue spared a glance over her shoulder, and couldn't miss the large chunks of still glistening ice lodged in his body and the failing light of the circuitry within him.

"Such a powerful display, it was," Dione said as she floated over to Blue, but just out of reach of her trident. She wasn't even sure it was Dione at first, since the silhouette of a feminine shape was surrounded by a rippling bubble of Fire. Not something that Blue wanted to try breaking through with a downed comrade and no backup. Quickly, deftly she dropped a hand to her belt and hit the emergency signal on her Stellphone.

"Such a powerful display, but maybe he's finally starting to see the futility of resisting Proxordo," Dione said distantly, almost as if talking to herself. The outline of her face turned toward Blue. "Perhaps seeing him in such a state's fostering thoughts within you too, StellarBlue."

"It's fostering thoughts about how I'll kick your ass if either of you makes a move."

Prox Blizzard got to its feet by then and stepped out from behind its shield, but made no move to attack. Dione simply floated out of reach herself, but then when had she ever involved herself in a fight?

Dione sighed resignedly. "That's too bad."

"Are you going to hide behind these freaks of yours forever?" Blue demanded, stalling for time.

"I am the beacon that guides lost souls to the truth. I sense that's what you're getting at," Dione replied evenly. "I suppose you think resorting to force makes me a hypocrite, but change is painful sometimes. More often than it is not, sadly. Perhaps Vayon should have made the Fire of Truth more readily available, more people could have seen what's happening to this world without even trying…"

Then Dione sighed. "Enough of this. Blizzard, Dishadow, finish them off. Make it quick."

"Black Break!"

"Pink Thunder!"

A crescent wave of pure ebon energy flew out and slammed into Prox Blizzard's faceted chest. It was perhaps even more unsettling that it made no sound of pain as it stumbled back a few steps from the attack.

A second later a crackling pink arrow shot right through Dishadow's chest, leaving a hole the size of a person's fist. She merely grunted in annoyance, though, and within seconds the wound was closing up. In those seconds StellarBlack, Pink and Yellow jumped into view, forming a ragged defensive line between Proxordo and their allies.

Prox Blizzard raised a frigid hand and a cone of frost blasted from it at Stellarman. Black jumped to the side and Pink and Yellow quickly closed together to shield their weakened teammates from the attack. Prox Blizzard tracked StellarBlack with its attack, though, and after making sure he was clear of his teammates he suddenly launched himself at Prox Blizzard and swung his three-section staff at its neck. There was a resounding clang and an intricate crack formed at the base of Prox Blizzard's neck.

Already the ice was starting to mend again, but it didn't matter. A dark, x-shaped form had appeared over the battlefield. Black jumped back to where the rest of his team was waiting and in an instant a beam lanced from the bottom, engulfed the five and carried them away. Then the x-shaped object was flying away at high speed.

An instant later Stellarman reappeared, safe within Crux's transporter relay. Red reappeared on his knees and collapsed completely. Blue and Yellow crouched by his side, Blue gasping as she saw the blood seeping from around the chips lodged in his sides.

"Oh god…Valentine, get in here! Daniel's hurt!"

Black grunted as he faded back to Bohdi. He stepped back from the group and quickly brushed off the small bits of frost still clinging to him. "Yeah. Get Daniel stabilized. As soon as he wakes up, get everyone back here. It's time we settled something."

* * *

Kamandetes watched anxiously as Risen scurried about the network of platforms and scaffoldings surrounding the towering dark shape in the middle. Here and there they carried plates of armor as tall as themselves and fastened them in place, covering the tubes carrying the molten liquid that powered his ultimate weapon.

It was nearing completion, but not nearly fast enough for him. It had power dwarfing anything the world had ever seen, but that kind of power required flawless preparation and construction. And every day, it seemed as if more and more of his crew were being requisitioned for gathering more Veritium to replace the pillars Stellarman had been demolishing.

Stellarman. Those miserable children who happened to have been born with a freak power that they used to hold onto the crumbling remnants of a destructive society. Their power seemed to grow every time they appeared, no matter what Proxordo could send against them.

Well, not anymore.

It was all well and good that Master Vayon had put together a group of Truthbringers especially to get rid of Stellarman, but Kamandetes knew the best they could do was hope to soften Stellarman up. Then he would finish the job.

Idly, Kamandetes thought about tracking down StellarBurn, and finishing pulling that pathetic dragon robot limb from limb. To finally erase the stain of being forced to empower that pathetic child and nurture his overinflated sense of self. He knew that strategically, StellarBurn was the least of his concerns. Still, it seemed a fitting debut.

"How soon until your ultimate weapon is ready, Kamandetes?" a voice he'd been expecting asked. He turned to face the broadcasted image of Rogyre Vayon.

"A matter of days at most, sir," Kamandetes answered. "I was just contemplating where to strike first upon completion."

"Mop up anything that's left of Stellarman after those Truthbringers get through with them. Then strike as you will. Make a show of it whenever possible. The construction of the new pillars is proceeding without interruption for the time being, but the more discouragement we can provide, the better."

"I'll be happy to discourage them all right, Master Vayon."

Vayon nodded and started to fade away, but Kamandetes held up his dark armored fist and called out. "Wait, master! Has there been any word of StellarBurn?"

"Not since he killed Prox Grasp. Probably laying low, looking for a new chance to attack," Vayon said calmly.

"I'd like to know if any reports come in. To wipe away that stain on Proxordo!"

"Your devotion has always been commendable, but now the important thing is to destroy ALL resistance," Vayon explained. "You fight for OUR cause, not yours."

"Master, I've NEVER forgotten the purpose you gave me. I know I displeased you when I continued to act in your absence, but I was only doing what I thought was in the best interests of Proxordo."

"Then destroy our most bothersome enemies, not the ones who you bear a grudge. StellarBurn was a handy distraction, now he's merely a nuisance," Vayon said, then vanished without waiting for a reply.

Kamandetes clenched his fist, and then smashed it through the railing in front of him. "I fight for Proxordo," he whispered.

* * *

R'kana froze as slow, measured steps descended the staircase. Erica conjured a soft glow from her hands, even though she knew exactly was coming without being able to see.

It was her loving father.

"Just what in the name of the heavens is going on down here?" Mehgris demanded as he stepped into their little hideaway. His ancient eyes, still as sharp as ever, focused in on his daughter and her conspirator.

R'kana tried to step in front of Erica. "Sir, this was my-" Erica held out a glowing hand and stopped her.

"She was helping me get in touch with Stellarman. Pretty much my entire planet's gone to hell while we were here saving you from those space pirates. I should be there, helping them. Not here, doing YOUR job for you."

"This is as close to YOUR planet as you'll ever get," Mehgris snarled. "The Shakai don't have a homeworld, and Earth's a backward planet infested with self-destructive vermin. That idiot the six of you were fighting is only the most dramatic example of a history full of them. You ought to be on your knees thanking me for giving you a place where you can make an honest difference. Isn't that what you were fighting for all along?"

"Do you even know what's going on outside your safe little palace? About how much some of the people born here hate it, and want to leave, and make a place for themselves somewhere else?" Erica fired back. She'd been working in secrecy, but now all the frustration she'd been feeling at policing an entire planet, and being forcibly conscripted to do so, and finding out she'd been birthed specifically to do so, was boiling over. The glow of her Starlight spread from her hands to her entire body, engulfing the room in violet light.

Mehgris didn't budge an inch. "Don't you try to tell me my business, youngling."

"Oh? And what are you going to do? You'd probably kill yourself if you tried to channel any Starlight now. I'll annihilate you if you make one funny move."

"I cut off the power down here," Mehgris reminded her. "Do you think I'd have any trouble turning off the SUN outside if I felt like it? The only thing keeping the last remnants of four dozen different societies alive? Take your time considering your next action, youngling."

"Erica, please, don't let him goad you…," R'kana tried to warn her, but Erica took a long, forceful step forward to loom over the withered creature that was her father.

"I've been here for months, daddy dearest. You think I haven't learned anything about how things work here?" Erica said slowly. "The sun keeps this entire little terrarrium alive. I recharged it before, and you know what? I experimented a little while you were in the palace doing god only knows what, and I can drain it again too if I want to. I only took a little, but I got a good feeling I do the whole thing if somebody made me mad enough to want to try."

"You wouldn't-" Mehgris began to protest, but the light emanating from Erica's body brightened even more until she was like a miniature star standing in the middle of the room. R'kana and Mehgris both had to turn away.

"Whatever you're doing in there takes power too. That's how you noticed what we were up to, wasn't it?" Erica went on. "It wouldn't work anymore if I killed the sun, I bet. It wouldn't matter, though, because you'd be dead along with the rest of Ikardaa if I did. Your experiment wouldn't work so good after that, I'm thinking."

"You want to go back to your miserable little dirtball to fight for a cause that's already lost just because the human race exists. Is that the hint you're trying to give me?" Mehgris said wearily.

A sigh escaped Erica's featureless face. "And maybe an answer. What are you doing in there, that's so important you made a deal to make me and drag me across the universe here to keep on eye on this planet for you?"

Mehgris sighed a resigned sigh as well. "Come," he said and waved with his walking stick as he climbed back up to the surface. Erica hovered as she followed, with R'kana bringing up the rear.

They entered a capsular vehicle on a track that had apparently been awaiting Mehgris's return. As soon as they were inside it sped back toward his palace, passing right through the outer wall and stopping next to a balcony. Mehgris stepped into the room beyond, which looked like his private study, and slumped into a chair with a sigh that sounded like he was finally giving vent to years, probably centuries, of pent-up exasperation.

"I've been wanting to bring the other Shakai back. There's so much more we could still be doing, than leaving this interplanetary catch basin as our legacy to the universe," he said. "I can fix us, so we can use our powers again. I just need to have them here for a little more time studying…"

"What do you mean 'a little more'?" Erica demanded.

"You really thought I went to all the trouble of siring another of my own kind, just to have you policing Ikardaa?" Mehgris laughed a tired laugh. "I've been taking readings of every single flash of power I caught you making. I don't know how you protected your little hideout, but congratulations on whatever you did.

"I needed to study a true Shakai exercising their abilities, so I would have enough understanding to be able to restore myself and the other Shakai to the height of our abilities. I can do it, I know I can! But I had to have a basis for the work! The things we could achieve, if I could just reach out to them, and show them how I could bring them back to the height of their strength…"

"The Shakai left because it was their choice," R'kana said, quietly but firmly. "Even if they're still in a state where they could be contacted, are you so sure they'd go back on their decision that it was time to let others look after the universe?"

"I wasn't the only one who thought our duty wasn't done," Mehgris growled at her.

"The other one died involving herself in the kinds of problems you're speculating about trying to deal with," Erica whispered. "I heard about that. From some people trying to do something about problems like that themselves."

Mehgris held his head in his hands. "Why must every other species insist on thinking in the short term?"

"What good is thinking in the long term if it means the world's gone by the time your plans have a chance to pan out?" Erica retorted.

"World!" Mehgris roared. "Is that all you sight encompasses? One, single, solitary WORLD?"

Erica leaned back, silent for a minute. "I get it," she eventually said.

"And just what," Mehgris asked in a sibilant whisper, "do you 'get'?"

"You never had a home. You never had anything to belong to besides the Shakai. That's why you're not even attached to Ikardaa."

Mehgris looked up at her with another growl forming in his ancient throat. Somehow his weathered, featureless face seemed to twist up in anger. Then he gave vent to a long, hollow, resigned sigh and collapsed into his chair. "Is it so wrong…?" he wheezed.

"Is it so wrong I want to be able to fight for my planet, fight with my friends?" Erica asked. Mehgris looked too tired to give a reply, so she didn't wait for one. "C'mon, R'kana."

She took R'kana in her arms and flew out of the palace then touched down on the street. "That thing we've been using to call Earth, that's like how you brought us here in the first place, right? Can I maybe go back to Earth with it too?"

"I think so," R'kana said thoughtfully. "And if I'm right, it won't take nearly as long…"

She couldn't miss the hopeful look in Erica's shining eyes.

* * *

Sword rang against staff. StellarRed fought hard to parry each of his opponent's strikes, but Vayon had the advantage both in reach and raw power. It was only a matter of time until Red started to tire and made some mistake, and as each parry of Vayon's flaming staff came more slowly than the last, he could tell that time was approaching quickly.

Then Vayon's staff flashed out, aimed straight at Red's side. He tried to block the weapon on the blade of his own, but the staff smashed through it with ease and the blade bit into Red's side. He cried out-

-and then he was looking up at a gray metal ceiling. His side felt a bit tender, but not as if he'd just been struck down by Rogyre Vayon himself. Also standing over him were Bohdi and Valentine. While her metal face was as expressionless as ever, Bohdi's was an expression of cold disapproval.

"I take it this isn't a tender bedside vigil I'm waking up to," Daniel hazarded.

"Hardly," Bohdi replied, his voice hard as well.

Daniel sighed. "Let's get this over with."

"No, by the seven lights!" Bohdi exclaimed. "Daniel, ever since we got back, you've been pushing yourself harder than you ever have. You've been splitting the team up, and while I agree that made sense while we were gathering allies, it's still like that now when we're trying to take the fight to Proxordo."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"When was the last time where we actually fought like a team? You ended up in here because you insisted on going off to deal with the Truthbringer by yourself. Something about not being able to live with yourself if anybody else took the risk. You'd be in here for even longer if Aki wasn't always looking over her shoulder to see if you're okay these days."

"That's what I signed up for when I took on being the leader. Something YOU were happy to get rid of, I'll remind you."

"But that doesn't mean you're the only one who's supposed to face danger," Bohdi said. "All of us are here, knowing we're expected to fight monsters. All of us are here, knowing we're expected to save the world. But you've been acting like uniting everyone we can get to help us against Proxordo, hell, just fighting Proxordo, is your job alone. Everyone else is just here to back you up."

"That's not-" Daniel began, but Bohdi gripped the edge of his bed, and the metal framed started to buckle in the big alien's hands.

"Yes it is, Daniel. And if it doesn't change and change soon, Stellarman's not going to win this."


	38. Phase 37: Distraction

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 37: Distraction

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Author's Note: Also, please come on by to Spectrum of Madness to check out all the series artwork. Recently added behind the scenes tidbits too.

Daniel slumped back into his bed and let out an irritated sight, but Bohdi stomped to the side to loom over him again. "Damn it, listen! This is your planet, are you going to save it? Or are you going to be another Vayon?"

"Don't you dare-"

"Don't I dare what?" Bohdi didn't let up. "He set himself up as the one who knew best for the world. He was the big visionary, he was the one with the vision of sweeping change. We were different because we were asking nicely for help, and letting people serve for their own reasons. To have their own future when this is over.

"Everything I've seen about Proxordo inclines me to think Vayon has only a few people he really trusts enough to do some of their own thinking. Everyone else, all the monsters, all the Risen, they're not fighting for their own future, they're fighting for Vayon's. I'll bet you anything you like they simply jumped up behind him because he promised something better and showed the power to make it happen. Probably, none of them even know what exactly Vayon has in mind for his little utopia."

"And what do you think that has to do with me?" Daniel asked, sighing resignedly.

"You're forgetting this is supposed to be a team, that's what," Bohdi growled more than said. "That's why Caitlin's worse than ever, and why you landed in here. We don't fight like a unit anymore. We're as far away from each other as we can be in battle. It's got to stop."

"I'll think on it."

"Think hard," Bohdi warned. "I didn't leave one burnt out hellhole of a planet to come to another." They could still hear him stomping away after the door closed.

Daniel shut his eyes and took a few practiced deep breaths before he felt the energy to face the world again. Once he had, Valentine said, cautiously, "Is Bohdi right?"

"See if we can get in touch with Erica," he replied.

* * *

"Quarry spotted," a Risen spoke into a radio microphone. The dark, bat-like shape was already vanishing into the distance, but he was hurriedly dialing in the trajectory and hitting a button to relay it.

"That all you have to report?" another voice barked out of the speaker of the apparatus.

"Yes it is. The target didn't attack the pillar or camp at all. I can't believe he wouldn't have seen it, but he just flew right past," the Risen answered tiredly.

The voice on the other end grunted. "Understood. Go about your business."

"Bloody Amp-Risen," the Risen sighed as soon as he'd shut off the apparatus.

He sauntered out of the shack containing their communications gears and stared again at the bodies of the armed insurgents he and two others had put down a few days before. They were supposed to have been rounded up for disposal that same day, but nobody had bothered. None of them could be bothered. If not for orders to track the members of Stellarman coming directly from Rogyre Vayon himself, it's likely no-one would have bothered to post a lookout either.

The bright spot of their duty recently had been when the insurgents had made their first push, storming the camp's gates with an old truck which, it turned out, had been laden with explosives. Enough to kill even an Amp-Risen, it turned out. Just like that, their commanding officer was gone.

Nobody had stepped up to take her place. No orders had come down on who was to take command. No replacement had arrived.

He looked over at Katrina, who didn't look back at him. She just stared out over the ocean beating against the edge of the camp. It was the only solace they had anymore. Soon, the remaining insurgents were likely to regroup and attack the camp again. The only casualty they'd ever scored was the Amp-Risen, but still they tried.

The Amp-Risen. That was all he knew to call her. He couldn't even remember her name, or if she'd even bothered to tell it to them.

He hefted his torch, and just to see if he still could, willed a little power into the tip. It flared for a second, then went out again. He sighed. They'd fight when their enemies came. They'd probably win.

But they'd only fight because they had nowhere to go.

Nowhere to go until whatever unknown criteria had been met that would satisfy Rogyre Vayon. Finally motivate him to use all the power they were channeling through this pillar and so many others.

Would it ever come?

What if it never did?

What if tomorrow, it wasn't a few half-crazed, unshaven mountain men with the luck to find a few working weapons?

He heard a yell of frustration as he threw his helmet at the ground, and only a few seconds later realized it was his own.

Hadn't he answered this call to fight for a better world? Accepted the fact that he'd be a man of metal until the end of his days, whenever that would be with the surrender of his form of flesh?

Slowly he walked over to where his helmet landed, slowly knelt down to pick it up, and slowly put it back on again.

Then, he went to wait.

For anything.

* * *

Aki blinked her heavy eyes and set down the book she had to admit she wasn't reading anyway. She looked out the window as Crux skimmed over a layer of clouds. It was a majestic sight. Not the kind of thing she ever quite expected she'd see. Her family never went anywhere, never caught a plane. Could never afford to, not with seven kids to feed.

She slumped back onto the bed in her tiny cabin, the cheap mattress on it squeaking. She didn't care. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Not since coming back to the wreckage of the city where she'd used to live.

For a minute she thought of Yuri, the youngest among them she shared a room with. Who looked up to Aki for having the nerve to stand up to their parents' edicts and stay out after curfew, even if she had no idea what Aki was really doing. Where was Yuri? What had happened to her?

Aki even thought of the last time she saw her parents, their faces as stern and disapproving as ever. Where were they? Had they gotten out of Cape Lombard? How suddenly had Proxordo attacked, when it became apparent Stellarman was gone, and probably not coming back? Had they left to look for her? Had they instead seen her disappearance as a blessing?

She repeated to herself, it didn't matter anymore. Even if they were still alive, what were the chances she'd ever find them, or they her? Eight months of pure chaos was a long time to get lost…

"GrarrraARRharrrgh!" came a scream from outside. Out of pure instinct she jumped off her bunk and ran down the hall. Another scream came, and this time she could tell it was coming from the infirmary. She looked in and saw Daniel thrashing around in his bed and Valentine tried to restrain him.

"Daniel, what happened?" she yelled, but he didn't answer. It was another few minutes before he settled down again. It was another few minutes more before he stopped panting and could articulate an answer.

"I…I was trying one of those suspension things. To heal faster," he explained. "To get back out there sooner. But…," he gasped. "It felt like something was cutting into my skin when I tried."

Valentine coughed and they both looked up at her. "Because the Starlight Suspension goes off of your body's natural 'diagram' of itself. Your conscious mind knows about all the additions I made, but the part of your brain that oversees the healing process doesn't. You were cutting yourself to pieces."

"Great," Daniel sighed irritably. "One hell of a trade-off." He looked up, and immediately froze. There, standing by the foot of the bed Bohdi had dented with his bare hands, was the smiling visage of Rogyre Vayon. A disembodied head, floating in midair with a curtain of white hair hanging behind it.

"Hello again, StellarRed," Vayon said cordially. His head bobbed with the motion of an ordinary walk as it crossed around the side of the bed, passing Aki who continued to stare down at Daniel. As the head moved, Vayon's armor-clad body formed beneath it.

"How did you get in here?" Daniel asked, low and slow. As far as he remembered from Valentine's long and rather tedious explanation of Crux's defenses, anyone who tried to enter it without being recognized as a friendly party, or possessing Starlight, was fried. Vayon probably had power enough to survive whatever did that, but it seemed unlikely even he had power enough to simply will himself to appear within Crux.

"What makes you think I was ever far away?" Vayon countered. "Does it frighten you to see me here in the very heart of your power like this, StellarRed? Perhaps maybe it finally gives you pause to think about how you're a member of a dying breed, trying desperately to prove to himself and the followers he can gather that their doom isn't on the horizon." He said it as said everything else. As a statement of fact.

Daniel jumped up and raised it ring, then thought to point it at Vayon as he changed to show the deluded savior just how strong his defiance was. But as he looked up…

Vayon was no longer standing by his beside. Aki was still there, and giving him an alarmed look.

"Daniel…what's wrong?" she asked cautiously.

He didn't answer. Instead he cast his eyes around the room. He stared at the windows, then at the door, looking for a sign of Vayon's smirking face. After a long, silent minute he replied, "Val, go scan the base. Do it now. Check for anything that shouldn't be there. Anything at all. I don't care how minor it seems. Do you hear me?"

Valentine nodded, but that was it. She scurried out of the room and the door slid shut behind her.

"What's wrong, Daniel?" Aki asked again.

"Either I'm going crazy, or Vayon's one step ahead of us…"

"What do you mean?"

"I swear to god I just saw Vayon. In hear. Making fun of me," Daniel replied gravely.

"I…see," Aki replied, looking uncertainly at him as he cast his eyes around the room, looking for his enemy again. Suddenly, Crux listed hard to one side and tossed both of them against the window. "What was that?" Aki exclaimed.

"Look!" Daniel pointed. A sheet of ice was forming over the window, and within seconds it had closed over the glass completely. At the same time, Valentine's voice came over the speakers.

"Crux is losing altitude fast. Brace for impact," she said, unnecessarily.

"How can she be so calm?" Aki asked. She grabbed the mattress off the bed and threw it under a desk built into the wall, and Daniel jumped under that desk with her. "Didn't she put in an upgrade to have a personality or something?"

Daniel gaped at her in reply. "Is that seriously what you're thinking about when we're about to crash?"

"It's how I stayed sane with six little siblings and parents who didn't like anything I did. Maybe you should try it sometime!"

He grunted, and braced himself between her and the wall. A minute later the entire base shook, and the bulkheads creaked, but held. There was a sound like breaking glass, but the window was intact. He didn't have to guess at the source.

"You okay?" Aki asked.

"Yeah," Daniel grunted and stood up, then started making his way to the door. "But I bet I know what we'll see when we get outside. Val, if you can hear me, get the Z-Machines fired up and try to open the hangar!"

"The doors are open," Valentine answered, though there was a crackle to the speaker. "But the hangar's pointing straight up, you'll have to get outside some other way."

"Fine, do the emergency doors still work?"

"I think so, but systems are going down all over the base. I'll have to kgggrrrrgghghhff get started reallrrrlkkknnnn-"

"Great," Daniel half-growled.

They scrambled over the bulkheads to the door and vaulted through it, then made their way to the first emergency door they could find. It faced straight down, and opened onto a short drop to blasted asphalt. They jumped down and crawled out from under Crux as fast as they could.

Their fortress had smashed into a building in the middle of a city. Not one of the charred ghost towns Proxordo had left in its wake either, judging by the intact storefronts and panicked people looking up at the sky across from the two of them. Immediately they could see what the people were looking at; looming over a row of buildings was a giant version of the icy monster who'd wounded Daniel. He cupped his hands in Crux's direction and ice crystals started to fill the air.

"Z-Machines, launch!" Aki yelled. From Crux's uppermost pod, a blue goat-robot launched itself out and smashed into Prox Blizzard's head. He staggered back, giving the robot a chance to vault off and land in front of Daniel and Aki.

Wearily, Daniel raised his ring along with Aki. "Cosmic Ascension!" He shut his eyes against the light of his own transformation, and when he opened them again, Taurus was standing in front of him, waiting for him to climb aboard. He did, his vision fuzzing out a little at the edges. "Star Cross," he gasped.

The machines twisted and interlocked as they had before battle with Proxordo's monsters so many times. After a minute Daniel's vision cleared again, and he was sitting in the center of the cockpit with the rest of Stellarman. Prox Blizzard was already filling the air with ice crystals again. One ricocheted with an alarming crack off the windscreen.

Black was the one who urged StellarFate forward, slamming its giant fist into Prox Blizzard's chest with a clang that echoed off the buildings around them. Prox Blizzard spun with the momentum of the blow and came back toward StellarFate to slam an icicle-studded fisted of his own into the robot's head.

It seemed impossible that such a spindly creature could deliver such a staggering blow. Stellarman was shaken around their cockpit by the blow. Prox Blizzard threw another punch at their robot, but Yellow grabbed for his controls and called out, "Fate Shield!" Prox Blizzard's punch rocked against the circular shield that formed, but did no damage. The monster stood back and unleashed a flurry of ice crystals at the shield. They shattered against StellarFate's shield, but suddenly it started to flicker.

"What's going on?" Yellow asked. "Those things aren't doing nearly enough damage to weaken the shield!"

"It's not the shots, it's the cold!" Black answered. "Look!"

Indeed, even though Prox Blizzard's ice barrage was bouncing off the shield, a sheet of frost was crawling across the pod on StellarFate's arm that generated the shield. As it did the shield flickered even more, then finally collapsed. Icy projectiles pelted StellarFate and pierced its armor in innumerable places.

StellarRed jammed his throttle forward, through. The enormous robot took a slow step forward, then another, and another, its pace picking up each time. After a few steps it had gotten close enough to launch another attack. It kept up its advance and shouldered Prox Blizzard into a block of low buildings, knocking the icy monster onto its back. Prox Blizzard raised his head to shoot his icy blast at the robot again, but Stellarman wasn't about to give him the chance.

"Atropos Shear!" Red yelled and twisted a pair of controls to send all available power into the robot's weapon systems. The frost coating the pod on one arm shattered as a blade of transparent energy formed from it. At once StellarFate swept the blade toward Prox Blizzard's neck and sliced through it with almost no resistance at all.

Then Prox Blizzard raked its icicle knuckles against StellarFarte's midsection.

The robot staggered back and fell to one knee. Prox Blizzard's body stood up and started to rain punches down on its opponent. Its blades still formed, StellarFate rammed one into Prox Blizzard's chest. Cracks ran out from where the blade had pierced the body, and then with a glassy roar the entire thing exploded. The pieces, however, then started to swirl in the air and the temperature in StellarFate's cockpit plummeted. Again, the robot was being buffeted by giant ice chunks.

"Put all the power into the shields! We can probably outlast this!" Red ordered.

"You're burning this robot up, Daniel!" Black warned him. "StellarFate's powerful, but it can only stretch so far!"

"You got a better idea? FATE SHIELD!"

Round shields of energy exploded into being from both of StellarFate's wrists, and most of the frozen maelstrom crashed into them without harming the robot. However electricity started to arc from the pods generating the shields from all the power being channeled into them from Daniel's desperate survival plan. StellarBlack seized his controls, and suddenly StellarFate turned, took a few charging steps, raised one giant metal boot-

-and brought it down on Prox Blizzard's severed, laughing head with a crash.

The rushing winds stopped and the monster's remains fell to the ground, shattering as they did. As they did, however, Stellarman heard a wheezing laugh fill the air for several blocks around.

"Nicely done, Stellarman. You won…against the weakest member of Proxordo's task force."

Black looked down at the redlining meters in front of him as they finally went back down, and sighed.

"This should be fun."

"Hey, watch it!" Yellow exclaimed. Black turned around to see what was going on in time to see Red dash out through the cockpit door. "What's with him?"

"That," Aki said gravely. She pointed out the windscreen, and the rest of them saw at once what she was indicating.

Standing on the corner of a nearby building, staring back at them, was a woman in a gold and purple uniform and helmet.

StellarRose.


	39. Phase 38: Call

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 38: Call

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

In one jump Red had cleared the gap between StellarFate's shoulder and the rooftop where his long-missing teammate now stood. There was no mistaking that violet suit, radiating celestial energy he could almost see. She didn't make a move, didn't say a word as he landed and approached.

For some reason, Red walked slowly toward his comrade. Why? Wasn't this the first bit of good news to come his way in a long time? How long had he been begging the powers that be for a breakthrough either on his end or hers, that would allow her to return? Something told him to be careful, but he kept going.

"Erica…," he said hoarsely.

Still she said nothing. Didn't move a muscle. Her glistening dark visor seemed to stare right through him.

Then, all of a sudden she reached out to him. But even though they were ten feet away, her arm almost touched him. Then it turned from purple to a dark, muddy color, and turned from solid to a muddy consistency.

As her hand formed into a mace and smashed into the side of his helmet, Daniel thought hazily about what an idiot he was. He should've been more careful. He should've come with his teammates. He should've checked with Valentine to see if she knew anything about this. Plain and simple, he should've been prepared for a trick.

Hadn't Vayon himself appeared in their base to taunt him, Daniel asked himself as everything started going black. Why hadn't his guard been up?

Because it had been Erica. Because he'd wanted her back so badly, he hadn't stopped and asked when he should've. To have her fight beside him again.

To just be there, again.

And now it looked like it'd be the last mistake he'd ever make.

"Hold it right there!" StellarBlue yelled as she came careening toward Red's attacker, her trident pointed at "StellarRose"'s chest. The imposter's body was already shifting into a formless mass, and the visor of her helmet had shifted into a bulbous, dome-shaped eye. Blue stabbed it just below the eye, but the monster formed an arm out of its bubbling form and swiped at her.

Blue jumped back and stabbed at the monster's eye this time. It curled forward, absorbing the eye and receiving the blow with no apparent damage as before.

"Surround it!" Black called out as the rest of them arrived. Pink and Yellow quickly spread out to do as he said, but they were too late. The monster rose up and jumped on top of Red's body. Then it formed itself into a ball and bounced over the side of the building with a squelch, taking Red with it.

Blue ran to the side and peered over, but already there was no sign of the monster or Red. Just a group of surprised-looking people staring back at her.

Her trident clattered by her feet.

"Oh no," she whispered to herself.

* * *

Stellarman jumped off the side of the building, landing just beyond the startled onlookers, and then spread out looking for any trace of the monster that had attacked Red.

There was nothing. No splotches of mud. No torn patches of red cloth. No scorch marks from the Fire of Truth . For that matter, none of them could remember if using the Fire to teleport away left any marks.

"Did any of you guys see a big mud ball jump off that building?" Yellow asked the crowd, which had more than doubled in size after Stellarman got to the ground.

"Nope, just the four of you guys," said a scruffy-looking teen boy.

"Aren't there supposed to be five of you guys?" a girl by his side asked.

"Ferroman only has three members," somebody else said.

"Yeah, we do have five members," Yellow interrupted. "The mud ball captured him and we need to find him. Did any of you guys see anything?"

"Not until you guys jumped off that building."

Yellow slapped his visor and sighed, but Black tapped him on the shoulder. "Forget it, Proxordo's trickier than that. We'll talk to Valentine, maybe she picked something up."

"The speakers weren't even working five minutes ago," Yellow reminded him. "You think any of the sensor stuff was?"

"If you have any better ideas, let the rest of us know," Black said. Then his uniform flickered away, leaving plain old Bohdi, if those words could apply to him. The crowd shrank back a step from him, but he didn't seem to notice at all. He slowly, deliberately walked back in the direction of their crashed fortress.

Pink was next, as Caitlin stepped out of a rosy miasma. Blue grabbed her by the arms. "Are you crazy? Just switching back in front of an entire street of people like that?"

"Put it away, Aki," Caitlin replied defiantly. "You think anybody here knows who we are? And you think nobody's gonna notice the kids with the orange lines all over their skin? Use your head for once."

Blue half-sighed, half-growled, but took a short run and leaped off the ground. She landed next to Crux in one jump, looked over her shoulder at Caitlin, and then let her uniform fade away.

Caitlin shot the dirtiest look at her, but just kept walking.

Inside of Crux the lights were flickering. Aki called out, "Val? Can you hear me? How bad is it?"

The entire fortress juddered, and Valentine called back. Not over the PA, it sounded like, but her actual unamplified voice. "Aki?" The robot peered around a corner, and held a lit welding torch in one hand.

"How bad is it?" Aki called up.

"It'll be a few days before Crux is back up to 100%."

"Great…"

* * *

With a lot of pulling and heaving StellarFate was able to get Crux out of its upended position and laid out flat on the ground. Valentine's cursory examination of the robot showed a couple of vital parts were almost burnt out thanks to Daniel's stunt with channeling all the power in their last battle. Spares were on hand in Crux, but it meant even more time spent on repairs before they were going anywhere.

That was fine with Aki. She climbed into the pilot's seat of Corvus and called, "Cosmic Evolution!" She was swathed in her original battle suit, less potent than her Zodiac one, but for what she had in mind it would be enough.

"Take off!" Corvus took a few steps and flung itself out of Crux's hangar bay. Immediately it went into a dive but then veered straight up. Blue didn't stop until she was high above the tallest buildings around them. Then she sent Corvus to into long, circling swoops around the edges of the city and moving inward, looking for any sign of a bouncing mudball or a red and white uniform.

"What's with her and Daniel since we got back, anyway?" Cliff asked. He raised a welding mask to his face and used the flame of his torch to secure a new connection in place.

"She's probably got the right idea," Bohdi admitted as he finished connecting a series of wires. He held up the diagram Valentine had given him, and double-checked his work. "We do need to find Daniel as soon as we can. He's been worrying me ever since we got back."

"So how come we're tuning up the robot instead, while she's out there?"

"And do what after we find him, if the robot's not working?" Bohdi retorted. "You know better, Cliff."

"And speaking of, when did you get so in charge?"

Bohdi tossed down the diagram and clenched his fists. "Coming back to a half-destroyed planet's gotten to all of us."

Cliff nodded. That was the only response that was needed. That could be made. Acknowledgement.

For a second he considered finding Caitlin and seeing if she needed any help, but it didn't take him more than a second to discard that idea. She hadn't been the kind to ask for help unless she absolutely needed it before they wound up on Ikardaa. Since then, well…no one showed the scars of coming back to a half-destroyed planet as vividly as she did. When she was around the rest of them at all anymore.

"Hey, maybe I should take Aquila out and help look for Daniel. Aki doesn't have the only flying Ptolemic Machine, you know," Cliff suggested.

"When did you get so concerned about Daniel?" Bhodi jibed, managing a strained smile. "But it doesn't matter. We have to get back up to full power again as soon as possible, especially with all these people around. That's probably why the ice monster attacked us here in the first place. I feel like I'm inside a giant bullseye."

"Aren't those Proxordo guys just tons of fun?"

The PA crackled to life. "Guys?" Valentine addressed them. "We have a…development."

Cliff stood up like a shot. "Is Proxordo back already."

"I said a development, not an attack."

Cliff sighed in exasperation. "What KIND of development?"

"It looks like…autograph hounds." "How do you know what an autograph hound looks like?" Cliff asked dubiously.

"Why wouldn't I know what an autograph hound looks like?"

"Divines! Listen to you two!" Bohdi laughed. Cliff wasn't sure Bohdi had ever done that before. "We're supposed to be repairing the robot and you're arguing about a damn fan club!"

"Let's go see for ourselves, shall we?" Cliff suggested.

"We're not done with repairs," Bohdi reminded him.

"We've only got two more things to do."

"Which will take us most of the day to get done. And then there's Crux."

Cliff waved his hand. "Bohdi, if you're here to save this planet, maybe you should learn something about our attitudes you're fighting for. Like taking a break after you finish part of a big job so you don't wear yourself out too fast."

With that Cliff was out of the corridor and climbing the stairs to StellarFate's cockpit. Bohdi climbed after him.

By the time Bohdi got to the cockpit, Cliff was already leaning up against the windscreen to peer into the street at the robot's feet. A mob several rows thick had surrounded StellarFate. Some of them were holding up placards, which could just be made out to say things like "Welcome Stellarman" and "Put out the fire."

As they watched, one man even held up his hand a flare of blue light shot upward for a few feet from it.

"What in the hell was that?" Cliff demanded.

* * *

Two Risen pushed a cart full of red ore through a hall and vanished. Haikoga grunted and scuttled away. All Vayon seemed to think he was good for anymore was increasingly desperate missions into other worlds, with increasingly few Risen, to retrieve the materials to produce more veritium.

Which, needless to say, was just fine with him.

He pulled open a hatch after he was sure nobody could see what he was up to and crawled along a dark passage. He spotted a familiar point of light in the floor ahead of him, and once he was next to it he settled in to wait.

Visions of that strange, primeval world where he'd met another creature like himself crept into his mind. How he'd been lied to that he was the last of his kind, and that he owed his allegiance to Proxordo because its leader had saved him from the jaws of death. He could only imagine other lies had been fed to the metal-skinned freaks who'd once been human.

The sound of a door opening reached him, and Haikoga focused again. He peered down through the grating into the room below. A blue-haired woman had entered. Dione. About to get another status update on her new mission of hunting down Stellarman. Dione. Who'd never lifted a finger to involve herself in a fight. Either Vayon was going insane, or he was up to something.

Haikoga intended to find out which.

"Status report on Kamandetes," she said.

"Estimated completion time, four days," replied a computerized voice.

"Last sighting of Stellarman," she said next.

"Atlanta, Georgia. Eight hours ago by Prox Blizzard. Contact lost."

"Is that so?" Dione purred, and reached out to touch something Haikoga couldn't see from his vantage point. "Looks like they haven't moved. Guess our little trap worked. Call the rest of the task force, have them assemble there immediately."

Haikoga held his breath. An entire group of monsters, gathering in a packed city to gang up on Stellarman. And if Dione's little boast about the success of her trap was to be believed, then the team was currently without a leader. They had to be warned at once.

Suddenly the air seemed cooler around him than it had when he'd entered the passage, though. Then four knife-like fingernails pressed up against his leathery throat. "Naughty, naughty," chided a female voice in his ear.

He didn't have to wait to find out was going on. Haikoga opened his jaws and spewed a ball of fire into the passage behind him, then hurried back the way he'd come. The possibility had occurred to him he might be discovered, and he'd planned for an escape route should the need arise. Well, it had arisen.

None of the darkened escape routes were an option. Dishadow could be lurking in any of them, and he didn't have time to compare powers with her. Haikoga smashed open the entrance to the passage with his shoulder and came barreling out into the open, knocking over a pair of Risen as he went.

He could hear an ominous swishing sound coming from behind him, but knew better than to look back. Quickly he slipped through a zig-zagging course through the guts of Proxordo's flying city he'd memorized for just such an occasion. The noise of Dishadow's pursuit faded, but Haikoga didn't slow his pace. He couldn't. If he stopped, he'd be caught. If he was caught, he was dead.

There should be any number of ships he could steal and use to make his escape if he could make it to the landing bays. Then he could not only warn Stellarman, he could join them in fighting off all those Truthbringers…

Then all at once something slammed into the base of his neck. Haikoga howled and sprawled. His eyes blurred, but when he looked up at the golden figure towering over him, Haikoga had no doubt it was Rogyre Vayon himself. Vayon stomped on Haikoga's snout and pressed it to the floor before he jabbed the flaming tip of his staff into the reptile's neck.

"Looks like we've caught a deserter, and there's only one thing to do with deserters," said the master of Proxordo with undisguised disgust.

* * *

Feathery wings spread from Prox Final's back. It could still hear the call to assemble ringing in its ears. It would be a simple task for a Truthbringer of its abilities to strike down Stellarman on its own, for was Prox Final not everything? Every creature, every contingency?

It crouched and was about to take to the air when suddenly it felt an incoming source of heat. Its wings curled around his body and a careening fireball deflected off them without harm. When Prox Final looked up to see who its attacker was, it wasn't entirely surprised.

"StellarBurn," Prox Final said. It wasn't an acknowledgement, more a statement of resignation.

It was indeed StellarBurn, obviously spoiling for a fight as he already shifted into his black and red uniform. The glow of his last shot still fading from the gauntlet on one hand. He went into a fighting stance. "Sorry, buddy, but I don't think you're going to that meeting."

"And you're going to stop me, I suppose." Prox Final's body shifted again, its skin and wings taking on a metallic sheen. Sword-like blades extended out from the front of its wrists. "How would a worm like you even know about it?"

"Your bosses made my robot, remember? I can pick up your guys' transmissions. God, you Proxordo think you know everything, but you sure have a problem seeing the obvious."

"It's because the rest of you CAN'T see the obvious," Prox Final retorted. It charged toward StellarBurn, swinging its metal wings at him like giant scythes.

"Yeah, I figured you'd say that," Burn muttered, but grinned behind his mask. He rushed toward the monster and charged his powers. A fiery aura enveloped his body. Particularly bright was the tear on the back of his uniform…


	40. Phase 39: Relentless

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 39: Relentless

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

StellarBurn jumped forward and went into a somersault as Prox Final's wing screamed by, landing on the inside of its swing. "Burn Saber!" A thin sword made of pure flame formed in one fist and he stabbed straight upward, punching a hole in the metal wing. Then before the monster figured out what he was doing Burn dragged his weapon down to ground level, shearing off a portion of Prox Final's wing the size of a car door.

He wasn't sure if he was expecting a scream of pain from the Truthbringer or not, but in any case he didn't get one. Burn turned his head to see the tip of one of Prox Final's wrist-blades enlarging as it came toward his forehead, and rolled back just in time.

"You're no match for me, child," Prox Final said tonelessly, "I'm everything." The monster raised its other wrist-blade and stabbed at StellarBurn's chest. The youth crouched to jump out of the way but Prox Final swung its metal wing behind StellarBurn to block him. The tip of the blade neared its target-

-and suddenly stopped as StellarBurn grabbed his enemy by the wrist with both hands. Burn chortled deep in his throat as his body began to glow with a fiery aura again. Prox Final's arm started to warp in his grasp.

"Does your boss love to hear himself talk that much, that he made all of you freaks sound just like him?"

"I am the ultimate Truthbringer!" Prox Final yelled defiantly, showing no sign of pain.

"And I'm the best of both worlds!" Burn laughed. "Fist of Gehenna!" He cocked back one arm and slammed his fist into Prox Final's chest. An explosion went up from the impact and blew the Truthbringer off its feet. It tumbled through the air several times and landed on its feet, but there was a sizable dent where Burn had punched it.

"You think one good hit counts a victory, human?" Prox Final said. Its features began to ripple and it turned into a white puddle that zipped along the ground in a wide arc, around StellarBurn and toward the piece he'd torn from its wing.

"Blastfire Gatling!" was Burn's reply. A fireball ripped from his outstretched hand, exploding a few inches away from Prox Final and tearing away a tiny part of its being. Then another fireball followed the first, landing even closer.

With machine gun rapidity the fireballs flew with StellarBurn turning keep his bead on his liquid prey. Suddenly though StellarBurn's body twitched and his shot went wide. Prox Final took advantage of the lull in the bombardment and twisted around the ground, speeding toward the wing fragment. But Burn recovered, turned and aimed at his enemy's target next. It exploded in a cloud of metallic dust that flew all over the clearing.

Thwarted, Prox Final reformed into a humanoid body, then thick plates of armor formed on its torso, shoulders, legs, arms and the back of its head. It ran toward StellarBurn, apparently having learned better than to try to trade banter with him. Then it lunged forward and went into a roll, turning into a giant ball bearing down on StellarBurn. With an effortless ease born of countless fights, he jumped high and tucked himself into a somersault as he spun over the crushing ball.

With a crash of splintering wood Prox Final ran into a tree and stopped, half-uprooting it in the process. Before it come at him again or change into something else Stellarburn dashed over as fast as he could and yelled out "Burn Saber!"

The armor plating seemed to form a solid mass, but it was crisscrossed by the tiny seams where it came part when Prox Final stood up. With all his might Burn jabbed his flaming blade at one. A small chip flew off and Prox Final started to quiver, no doubt about to attack again. Burn stabbed again, harder this time, and a bigger chip flew off. Through the space it vacated he could see darkness, and that was where the next stab went.

Prox Final stood up and roared out in pain this time. Burn yanked upward with all his strength and carved upward through Prox Final's side like when he cut through its wing. The monster turned and started to fall on him, so Burn jumped back and let his insubstantial weapon fade away. As it stood up to attack again, still a trickle of red energy leaked through the puncture in the Truthbringer's armor.

A wound. A bad one, by the look of it.

But would it still be there when the monster changed into something else?

Then again, who said he needed to give it the chance?

"Blastfire Gatling!" Burn yelled again. He aimed his barrage at the point where he'd just managed to get through Prox Final's armor. The plates crunched and folded inward from the constant pelting of fireballs against them. Prox Final turned to face StellarBurn, then charged toward him and curled up into a ball again.

Burn aimed his shots at the ground inbetween him and the monster, carving out a trench that he hurled himself into a second before Prox Final thundered over it. As he landed Burn willed the aura surrounding his body to flare even hotter. He could hear the monster bellow in rage as it passed within inches of crushing his spine.

He heard the monster crash and jumped up. It was starting to unroll again and he could see a wide line of deformed metal on its back. Where it had touched his aura as it rolled over him.

"You're powerful, human. I'll give you that," Prox Final gasped, then sneered. "But there's no way a human could be channeling that much power burning themselves from the inside out to do it."

"You know everything about how I think, and how my body reacts to my powers too, huh? You hopin' maybe you'll win by lasting longer than I do?" Burn retorted. "You're an idiot. FIST OF GEHENNA!"

Even within StellarBurn's blazing aura, his incoming fist was surrounded by white-hot fire as he aimed for Prox Final's wounded back. A split-second before impact suddenly the monster shifted again, and reared up above Burn as a wave of water twenty feet high. He had a chance to see the whitecaps on the top before it came crashing down on him.

Then he heard a sizzling and his visor turned opaque from steam condensing on it. He waited for the water to knock him onto his back, but though he heard it crashing down around him, nothing touched him.

A shout of frustration left Burn's mouth as he wiped at his visor and looked around to see he was standing in a scorched crater while a small pool of water roiled around him.

The power he was surrounding himself with had been too much for Prox Final to put out. Its desperate move hadn't worked, and had probably wounded it badly in the process.

He was about to find out as the water around him rose up and seeped together to assume humanoid shape again.

Burn circled around quickly and then launched himself at its side in a jump kick. His foot slammed into the spot where he'd stabbed it before, and his attack drew a rattling scream as the monster staggered a good eight steps back from Burn's kick.

Prox Final's body had the shape of a smooth silver mannequin as it first took solid form again, but quickly thick green scales, a sweeping tail and a long fin down the back were taking shape. Yet it was likely from the reaction the monster had to his attack that the wounds he managed to deal were still adding up despite its new shapes. And with the power StellarBurn was pouring into his attacks, anyone, even the self-professed Ultimate Truthbringer, had to be feeling the pain.

"Burn Saber!" Again he summoned his insubstantial blade, and brought it down to sever Prox Final's tail before it could ever be swung against him. The tip of another was already forcing itself out of the stump, but Burn stayed on the offensive and charged Prox Final, waving his searing weapon at its chest while it backpedaled to escape him. After a few seconds Prox Final's chest was crisscrossed with smouldering slashes.

Then all at once Prox Final parted its reptilian jaws and spewed a cloud of stinging green gas straight at StellarBurn's face. Most of it was vaporized as it touched the flames sheathing his body, but Burn took a deep breath as the rest coated his helmet and started to seep inside. The acrid smell of whatever that was began to fill his nostrils even as he tried not to breathe. He had to finish this now.

"Hrraaaaaaaaaarrgh!" Burn yelled as he suddenly jumped twelve feet in the air with his blade raised over his head. Prox Final was leaning back to spit its weapon at him again, apparently subscribing to that "death before dishonor" attitude. The Burn Saber bit into Prox Final's shoulder, and StellarBurn pressed it home with all his strength until it emerged from the other side. Prox Final's pieces fell to the ground with wet splats, surprising Burn.

Once again, Prox Final's remains lost their consistency, turning insubstantial and flowing away. This time, they rose high into the sky and again the monster started to take shape again. Not as before, the shape it was taking this time was hundreds of feet high.

Apparently, it was through playing around with him.

With relief, Burn allowed the aura surrounding him to fade. With a quivering arm he raised his hands to his face and hurriedly wiped away the green grime that was starting to sizzled against the front of his helmet. He drove his palms into the grass at his feet until he was sure he'd smothered whatever that had been.

Then, he barely managed to whisper the command, "Draco, take off."

"You have gotten my attention, human," Prox Final thundered, still in the shape of a sleek silver mannequin that seemed to fill the entire sky. "You are about to see just what a mistake that was."

It reached down for him with an enormous hand. He wanted to jump up, flip out of the way with ease as he could have normally. Instead, it was all he could do to support himself on his hands and knees. A shadow fell over him as Prox Final's hand closed in…

And then a piercing cry shook the area, there was a sound of metal on metal, and the world brightened again as something knocked Prox Final away from his miniscule enemy.

"Let's get him, Draco," Burn choked out, and somehow the giant robot seemed to hear him. It swooped past and a crimson beam from its chest lanced down and enveloped Burn, then carried him into its cockpit. Without a word being spoken, Draco shifted into its humanoid form for battle.

The Truthbringer had shifted as well, this time into a hairy creature with a face like a giant wolf and claws that looked like they could slice a building to ribbons in one swipe. It lunged at Draco and lashed out at the robot, claws digging into its chest armor. As the monster went past Draco swung its arm, clotheslining it and halting its charge. Then Draco smashed the mace clutched in its other hand into Prox Final's back.

Prox Final staggered away and changed again. In seconds it had become a roaring whirlwind that picked up rocks, trees, sheets of dirt and pelted them against the robot. A boulder ricocheted off Draco's windscreen, shaking the entire cockpit. A second later the force of the wind actually picked Draco up into the air, then dashed it against the ground.

Quickly Draco was back up, and spread its wings and caught the currents to soar out of the giant tornado's reach. The cone of spinning air started to stretch upward to reach the battle robot, which had climbed nearly two miles off the ground. The Truthbringer was powerful to be able to extend itself so far, Burn had to hand to it.

But it was also too convinced of its own superiority. Something he'd come to recognize all too well…

It probably thought that by taking a form with no substance when he had no burning shield surrounding him, it couldn't be hurt. It was going to learn the mistake of thinking that very quickly.

"Delphinus, awaken!" StellarBurn called. A portal appeared in the air beside Draco, and the dolphin robot emerged. Burn wasted no time in giving the next command. "Beta Cross!"

In seconds Delphinus had disassembled and latched onto Draco as armor. In another second beyond that Prox Final had reached high enough to surround the robot in its cutting winds. Immediately Draco was being buffeted back and forth, but folded in its wings as Burn made his next move.

"Pyro Pulse." A sphere of red light formed in one of Draco's palms and the robot flung it away as quickly as it could. The sphere struck the side of Prox Final's cone of air and exploded into flames. The very air the monster was now made from had been ignited, turning it into a pillar of pure flames. Draco flew clear of the burning remains of its adversary, then turned and touched down as its enemy transformed yet again.

"Your breadth is impressive," Prox Final said as flatly as ever. "But you try my patience, human." This time it was a form very much like its basic one, but thick armor formed over its silvery chest. A pair of extra arms sprouted from beneath those already there. Each of them held a scimitar that was polished to being nearly blinding to look at. Again, it showed its arrogance. Even after all Burn had done to it, it thought it could still psych him out.

It never could. None of any of the arrogant bastards in Proxordo could.

They were good at creating newer and more advanced ways of killing things, though. So as Prox Final closed in, StellarBurn knew better than to let his guard down.

"Monoceros, awaken," Burn ordered. Another portal opened and the black and red unicorn robot appeared, baying a challenge at their multi-armed opponent.

"Beta Break," Bur followed, and Delphinus broke off and reformed, swimming in the air at Draco's side.

Then Prox Final charged, swinging its many flashing blades at Draco. The robot raised its mace to block the first swing, a sliver as long as a tree breaking off from the blade of the sword. Meanwhile Monoceros lunged in and gouged Prox Final's side with its razor-sharp horn, then jumped back before a sword had a chance to land on its neck.

Delphinus rammed Prox Final in the back, knocking the Truthbringer forward. Draco jumped over its swinging blades and brought its mace down on Prox Final's head with a crunch that scattered jagged bits of armor around the ground. Draco then spread its wings to hover in the air for the second longer it needed to kick Prox Final hard on the chin and knock it back a few steps.

But all of a sudden one of Prox Final's swords flashed out and struck Draco on the leg. The robot went into a drunken spin and slammed into the ground. Before it could recover another sword flashed out and impaled the arm holding its mace. Another knocked Monoceros aside as it charged in to slash at Prox Final's legs.

"You put up a good fight, but you pushed yourself too far too quickly, human," Prox Final sneered. "I may fall, but I will rise again and again. The Fire of Truth cannot be quenched." Delphinus was diving toward the Truthbringer's back amidst a roaring whirlpool, but Prox Final half-turned and held two of its sword together that it used to smack Delphinus aside.

"You didn't read my file, I can tell," Burn laughed.

"What?"

"Who says I'm trying to put it out?" Burn chuckled. "Consuming all opposition, StellarBurn! Blazing Extinction!" A blast of crimson energy erupted from Draco's chest, tearing into Prox Final. Half of the monster was melted before it could even register the fact. It toppled backward, taking with it the sword pinning Burn's robot to the ground.

Prox Final raised its head up to stare at Draco in disbelief, the right side of its torso reduced to a few tattered lumps.

"What's the matter, monster? Not going to throw more disdain at me? Well, even I need to stop playing around sometime," Burn said. "Beta Cross!"

Monoceros flew apart, then attached itself as armor to Draco, its head transformed into a long-bladed sword. Prox Final's body was starting to lose consistency again, but slower than before.

There was no escape this time.

"Avenger's Flame," Burn commanded, and immediately the blade of his robot's sword erupted in fire.

*CLANG!* With one stroke he sent Prox Final's head tumbling from its half-melted shoulders.

*CLANG!* Another sliced right through the rest of the monster's body.

Instead of seeping together and changing into something else, it looked like Prox Final had reached its limit. Its remains crumbled to a fine metal dust, and were carried away on a biting wind.

"Wonder if the rest of them'll put a fight like that…"


	41. Phase 40: Final Straw

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 40: Final Straw

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

Caitlin sighed as she watched the number on the display on her Stellphone climb to 97. The repairs on StellarFate were continuing apace, but not quick enough for her. Any delay meant dragging this stupid war out longer.

She never thought she'd admit it to herself, but she would've rather been back there, helping with the repairs. Getting them back in the action so they could find Daniel and get this wrapped up sooner. But no, Bohdi had insisted that breaks be worked into everyone's schedule to keep from overtaxing them.

So there she was, standing on the streets outside the perimeter set up around Crux. A smirking college student sauntered up to her.

"What?" she said without even looking at him.

"So my friend over there says you're the pink ranger," he said, the smirk never wavering.

Caitlin sighed and held up her arm, which glowed with the starlight coursing through the circuitry under her skin that allowed her to continue to fight after it had taken its toll on her body. "What gave me away?"

"We never had girls as hot as you around here before your ship landed. That was a pretty good tipoff."

"Look, buddy," Caitlin sighed. "I don't do autographs and I'm not looking for new friends. Is there something you want?"

"Don't be like that, baby. Lemme show ya around town. Take your mind off all them monsters you guys fight for a while…"

She held up her hand, glowing with power. "I'm warning you, buddy…" The arrogant little puke just grinned wider at her. Not for the first time, she wished she hadn't been blessed by the pink part of the spectrum.

Just meant she'd have to show him something he WOULD understand.

He reached out to caress her hair, and she knocked his hand away, then followed up with a kick that hit the wall an inch away from his face. He sputtered as a cloud of cement dust billowed into him.

"I'm seeing Proxordo everywhere I look these days," she warned. "You don't want to know what'll happen if I think you're a Risen in disguise…"

Finally that smirk of his faded and he turned and ran as fast he could the other way. "Crazy bitch…!" he yelled as he fled.

Alone again, Caitlin slumped against the wall. It was never going to happen now, was it? She'd dreamed that after the fighting with Proxordo was over, she'd be able to disappear somewhere nobody knew her. Where people wouldn't lean on her all the time.

It was impossible for her to hide now, wasn't it? With just one look, people would know who she was, about her abilities, about the things she did with them.

Her Stellphone beeped, and she hit the receive button hoping to receive word they were moving out.

"Caitlin?" Valentine's robotic visage asked as it appeared in the projection.

"Is StellarFate ready?"

"No, but we're getting a call from another team. Dracon V. They asked specifically for you."

Well, here was at least one person she didn't mind knowing about her abilities. "Put it through."

Valentine's image disappeared, but no other took its place. The familiar voice of Dracon Pink issued out, though. "Catie? What's going on? Are you guys okay?"

"Frankly, no. Our robot still needs repairs and Proxordo kidnapped Daniel. We still have no idea where he is," Caitlin replied, but the tension drained a little from her as she spoke. "What about you, Genny? You guys killed any big Truthbringers lately?"

"Actually, Alex wanted me to ask where you guys were. He's worried about Vayon, and thinks we should start getting together to make our move."

"We're in Atlanta. We're not leaving until our robot's completely repaired, at least. That shouldn't be long, though."

"Well," Genny began, "with two teams around it should be twice as easy finding your leader and getting him back, right? Wait, what's that-"

* * *

Something dove through the formation of the five dragons in flight, scattering them wildly all over the sky. Quickly Genny seized her controls and righted herself, but her dragon gave out an uneasy growl.

"Something almost ran into us, Catie. I think we're under attack!"

"We'll see about that!" Alex shouted. "Unite!"

As they had so many times, the dragons combined into the gigantic Dragon Knight. It clutched its powerful lance as the huge dark object that have plunged through their midst turned around and flew back in its direction.

"Another Truthbringer, huh?" Alex called out to their attacker contemptuously. Dragon Knight held out its weapon. "You won't be the first to die on this!"

The thing approached, but even as it got closer it was hard to make out. It seemed to be surrounded by a dark cloud that followed it as it flew. It stopped to hover in front of the giant warrior, as if studying it before deciding how to react the challenge.

Then suddenly a bolt of red light shot from the cloud. Dracon V had been expecting an attack and dove out of the way, but they could still feel the heat from the blast as it went by. In fact, Dragon Knight cried out in pain even though the blast hadn't touched it.

"What's wrong?" Yellow cried.

"Our armor's molten down the back!" Alex answered. "We've gotta finish this fast!"

Dragon Knight stabbed its lance into the heart of the black cloud, and the giant warrior juddered with the pointed tip piercing armor. Then another judder ran through it as something smashed up against its weapon. Then smashed against it again, just before a blow came that crumpled the armor on Dragon Knight's chest.

From within the black cloud game a blood-red glow. The last thing Dracon V heard before another blast, even bigger than the last one, engulfed them, were the words, "Children. Always children playing in the affairs of gods."

* * *

"Genny? GENNY!" There was no response. A second later the transmission cut off entirely.

Then Caitlin was sprinting back toward Crux as fast as she could. She shoved her way through the supporters still holding up their placards, squeezed through the door the instant it was wide enough for her, and dashed to the mecha hangar. She jumped into a cockpit and keyed in the override code to open the doors.

"Caitlin?" Valentine's voice came over the comm. "What are you-"

"COSMIC ASCENSION!"

Two discs studded with stars passed over her and she had become StellarPink. She gripped the controls of Cygnus and flew out of the hangar bay with all the speed the borrowed swan mech could provide. Erica's purple horse robot galloped beside her, following Cygnus's lead almost as if the two robots were living, thinking partners. Pink hadn't done a thing to ensure it would follow. But then, she'd been pretty sure she wouldn't need to.

"Val, make yourself useful and find out where that last transmission came from. I've got a score to settle," Pink growled.

"From about eight hundred miles southwest, but do you think that's-"

"To hell with thinking!" Pink yelled. "Something attacked and probably killed them because we're all going around with baby steps! We've never taken the fight to them LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE! The others can either wise up and follow me, or they can keep waiting for Proxordo to leave us a nice little trail of breadcrumbs straight to Daniel!"

She heard Valentine start to reply, but didn't listen. Pink had meant it when she said she was through doing things the way they were.

Either the others were going to come around and follow her into battle against whatever had attacked Dracon V, or they were going to come around and follow when she'd shown them how to get results.

* * *

On a wall in Vayon's private chambers, Dione watched a display of Dragon Knight being torn apart by a ray of thermal power from its unseen opponent. She shivered as the screams of Dragon Knight's occupants filled the room for a second, then faded away. With a sigh she waved her hand and the scene vanished.

Whenever she'd kept Dishadow within her for too long, the darker parts of her psyche that Vayon had removed from her started to seep back in. As she let Dishadow wander off into the dark corners of the their flying city to keep it from happening, though, she had begun to wonder if doing so might be having the opposite effect on her…

"My lord," she said, "I know we've been fighting our enemies every step of the way toward the reclamation of Earth, but…is this perhaps taking things too far?"

"You yourself acknowledged that sometimes there are simply those that cannot be swayed to a cause," Vayon replied, giving no indication of his own thoughts at the display they'd just seen.

"They were only children."

"Children with powers to rival our Truthbringers and a flock of giant dragons at their beck and call," Vayon reminded her.

"But even so-"

"Dione, I'm surprised at you! We're fighting to wipe the slate clean and start a fresh, pure Earth! I anticipated the need for a few casualties, so should have we all. Especially now, when we're finally within striking distance of our goal."

"If that's the way it must be," Dione said and drifted out of the room, not adding, "even though I'm supposed to be the beacon leading people to salvation."

Once the doors had hissed shut, Vayon banged his staff against the floor. "Come out, my dark beauty."

Dishadow flowed out of a patch of darkness and solidified next to him. She stroked teasingly at Vayon's cheek. "She weakens even more, my master…," the shadow crooned.

"And that is the one thing I cannot afford just when I finally near the amount of power I'll need," Vayon replied, unmindful of her caressing. "I can't take any risks at this stage of my plans…and you may be just what I need to ensure their success."

"Oh? And what does my brilliant master have in mind…?"

Vayon looked over at Dione's darkling counterpart. "I could make you so much more, my dear. Instead of someone else's cast-off emotions, you could be your own person. One of my lieutenants once we've made our move and the new order is established."

"But you never just give out power like that. You always need to be assured of the loyalty of the one you're giving it to."

"So I do. But my dear, desperate times call for desperate action. I can give you a sample of what to expect if you perform well, my dear."

Dishadow smiled, showing her fangs.

"Well then," she asked, "What are we waiting for?"

* * *

Something slammed into Daniel's stomach, forcing all the air from his lungs and shattering the merciful embrace of oblivion. For a second before his vision focused, he could see a blur of purple, but then standing in front of him a red-skinned man in yellow armor.

"So they got you too," someone croaked off to his side. Craning his neck as far as he could, Daniel saw Haikoga hanging by his wrists from a stone wall beside him.

"They got me because I was an idiot," Daniel groaned.

"Do not waste your energies in commiseration," said the armored figure. "Your friends will come for you soon, and then you can all leave this life together."

Another man, this one pale white from his hair, his skin, to the tips of the cloak he wore, floated past. "Leave them alone, Legion. Especially don't beat them. Their last moments are at hand, must we make them suffer?"

"You're too soft, Gratis."

"You'll be glad I'm around once the fighting starts," the man in white replied with a soft smile.

"We'll see," Legion grunted and walked away.

"What's going on?" Daniel gasped, hoping distantly that a "nice" villain might also be a chatty one.

"We're going to reunite you with your friends, of course," the Truthbringer explained. "We thought it only fair that despite Haikoga's betrayal, he get to die in the land of his birth."

"Betrayal!" Haikoga snarled. "Your master is the one who took me from here to fight his battles for him!"

Gratis simply smiled at the verbal attack. "You'll be pleased to note Master Vayon sees merit in your people, Haikoga. He plans to come and cleanse this world as well once he's finished with Earth."

Haikoga snarled and struggled against his bonds, but even his strength wasn't enough to break free. Gratis shook his head. "In a way, your resistance is admirable. Futile, but admirable." Then he floated away in the direction Legion had gone. There was no one else guarding them, not even any Risen.

Once he was sure no Proxordo flunkies were around, Daniel whispered, "Where are we?"

"My homeworld, apparently," Haikoga growled. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I was caught when I made my last report. If there's one thing Vayon hates, it's traitors."

"Doesn't seem like there's anything Vayon likes," Daniel muttered.

"Heh. Fair enough, human. But that doesn't help us any. We're bait for your friends, and even if we could get loose there's so many Truthbringers around the two of us couldn't possibly fight our way past them. This is supposed to be where Vayon rids himself of you and your friends once and for all."

"How many Truthbringers is that?"

Haikoga grunted. "Four. That I know about. I'm not sure they've all been by here."

Daniel shut his eyes, and started to speak. "Cosmic-"

But his transformation didn't come. Instead it felt as if the Starlight coursing through the circuitry under his skin had suddenly turned inward and was trying to burn itself through to the core of his body. Daniel screamed in agony, but the sensation faded a few seconds later.

Haikoga didn't even try to hide a snide, bestial laugh. "Fool. Did you think they wouldn't expect that?"

"I had to try, at least."

"Save your strength for when your friends get here. If they do."

Daniel wanted to say something about how his team would totally come for the two of them. How they'd obviously defeat all the Truthbringers lying in ambush.

But he had to finally admit to himself that he hadn't been leading well. His team had been fighting for the future of the Earth, but not as a team. Things had been strained ever since they got back from Ikardaa, and sometimes it seemed as if they'd have been as happy for a chance to kill each other as Truthbringers….

He didn't know.

* * *

The wings of the swan robot groaned as it sped along. Pink doubted it had ever gone this fast when Erica was flying it. She glanced at her radar to make sure she was still heading toward the large blip, even though she hardly needed it anymore. There was a tangible feeling in the air as she got closer. Something very powerful, and very happy to help her along to her death was up ahead.

Well, no more running away from the real problems. Proxordo would be on the run if they hadn't been working on some convoluted plan to network with other teams.

And…Genny wouldn't be dead.

Pink's blood boiled and the throttle creaked in her hand. She could see a dark cloud in the distance, but as the robots neared it looked more like a large puff of smoke. Something glowed red underneath…

"Catie, hold up!" someone called, and then Corvus pulled up beside her.

"Get lost, Aki! Nobody's stopping me now!"

"Who's stopping you? If taking care of this is what it takes to get you to come back, let's take care of it!"

"Is that why you're helping out?! Because you need me to come back to win our stupid little war?! I never wanted to be on this stupid team, Aki! I only joined because Cliff did, and he'd get himself killed in five minutes if I wasn't around!" Pink screamed.

"I'm helping out because yes, we do need you! Dammit, Catie, I don't care what the name is! Stellarman's a whole team! Are you thinking you can just go hide somewhere and wait 'til this is over?! Because it's not gonna be over until Vayon's gone or we are! And we're not gonna win this one-on-one!"

"Bet you twenty bucks you're wrong!" Pink growled and sped forward again.

"And…I'm sorry about your friend," Aki added, softly.

Cygnus slowed until it was hovering. Equuleus waited below as well.

"She was on the dragon team, right? Val told me. Whatever that thing is out there. It killed them."

Slowly, Pink answered. "Yes. It did. And we should probably do something about whatever that is before it goes killing anymore teams."

"We should get Bohdi and Cliff. We should have StellarFate."

"No," Pink stood fast. "We should stop making circles around Proxordo and do something for once."

The cloud had started to cruise in their direction. It seemed there was only one option.

"Fine," Blue said.

With the matter settled, Pink called, "Star Cross!" Cygnus and Equuleus united into the feminine warrior robot for the first time in a long time, and Corvus locked onto its back, gifting Rose Valkyrie with its wings. Blue's seat slid into the main cockpit behind Pink.

"Looks like we're about to see how well your approach works," Blue whispered.


	42. Phase 41: Reunion

Cosmic Squadron Stellarman Phase 41: Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own or make any claim of ownership upon the Super Sentai series, which belongs to Toei. Stellarman and its various characters are mine, and if you're interested in using any elements from it, just ask me.

The cloud drifted closer to where Rose Valkyrie stood, as if hoping to make those aboard the robot stew in the dread of not knowing what awaited them. Blue activated the wings and the robot hovered in the air, as she had little doubt they'd be fighting this thing, whatever it was, in the air.

The cloud hovered in front of them, examining them almost. Then a sour laugh erupted into Rose Valkyrie's comm. "Is the mighty Stellarman really challenging me with that old relic?!"

It wasn't a voice either of them had heard in a long time, but there was no mistaking it. "Kamandetes…no wonder I haven't seen your metal face in ages," Pink said.

Another laugh. "You've never seen my face, and you've never understood what it is I fight for. At least you appear to understand this is the only way it could've ended, with that piece of obsolete trash you're making your last stand with."

"You guys say that all the damn time, and we're still here," Pink retorted. "No matter how many times you've changed things up."

Blue nudged her. "You really think we should mouth off to the supervillain like that when we don't know what he's got in there?"

"You want to let him think we're afraid?" Pink whispered back.

"They always think we are."

"But look at me," Kamandetes sighed. "Here I am stooping to mockery when I should be getting rid of you and moving on to your friends. But since you've had the tenacity to fight us as long as you have, I can at least send you to hell knowing what it was that killed you."

The cloud of smoke parted, and hovering there in front of Rose Valkyrie was another giant battle robot. It was covered in thick black armor plating, with thick spiraling horns emerging from either side of its helmet and scythe-like blades protruding from its forearms. From its shoulders extended gigantic bat-like wings that were swathed in flames. Red crystal spikes sprouted from shoulders, knuckles, knees and in a row down the back of its helmet.

Every few seconds the red protrusions on the robot's body would throb with light, illuminating numerous lines crisscrossing its body not unlike the circuitry carrying Starlight around underneath Pink and Blue's skin. The light flowed outward from a large, jagged crystal spike protruding from the center of the robot's chest.

"Prox Mortis will feed on your souls!" Kamandetes screamed. Then his armored bringer of death flew at Rose Valkyrie, leaving a trail of crimson fire in the air as it swooped in for the kill.

* * *

Bohdi thumped his giant fists against the console next to him Valentine impotently. "Isn't there some kind of automatic recall sequence on the Ptolemic Machines or SOMEthing?" he bellowed.

"You'd think I was making it up if I answered that," Valentine replied.

"The recall system's not working, is it?"

"It's a blackened mess. I don't think Catie did that, but-"

Bohdi let out an irritated grunt that cut her short. "The why of it doesn't really matter right now, Valentine! Is StellarFate ready to go?"

"The repairs still aren't 100%-"

"—I didn't say finished, I said _ready to go_!"

"It should be stable, but I don't think it could catch up to them in time. Caitlin and Aki took the fastest Ptolemic Machines," the robot replied, sounding almost apologetic.

"Not all of them," Cliff said. "I'm-"

"Doing what, Cliff?" Bohdi stopped him with those three words. "We could barely stop the first wave of giant Proxordo monsters with the individual Ptolemic Machines. This thing Catie and Aki are fighting wiped out an entire team in the blink of an eye. You think Aquila's going to make a difference?"

"But we have try-"

"We _have_ to use our heads and our weapons that can actually get the job done," Bohdi cut him short again. "Getting careless and running off half-cocked is exactly what Vayon wants us to do."

Cliff said nothing. He just peered at Bohdi for a second, and nodded slowly.

"Valentine," Bohdi said. "Is StellarFate ready to fight?"

But Valentine didn't answer him. Her eyes were glued to a monitor showing the local area. Bohdi peered over at it himself, and saw a bright purple blip zooming over the terrain.

* * *

Rose Valkyrie's lance jabbed at the dark robot's chest again and again. Shallow gouges were left where it made contact, but Prox Mortis simply endured their attacks without retaliating.

"This isn't doing anything, Catie!" Blue warned her teammate. "We should aim for that big crystal in the middle!"

"Yeah, we should," Pink said simply. But as she aimed the robot's lance at the core of her enemy's fighting machine, all she could think about was how this thing had obliterated Dracon V in an instant. Genny had almost been killed by one of Proxordo's monsters, but had come through it stronger. When she'd gotten the chance to fight back against more monsters like that, she'd taken it.

And in a heartbeat, Kamandetes had destroyed all that.

To him, anyone not singing Proxordo's praises as loud as he did was vermin. She had no doubt of that. He'd happily stomp everyone like that like an insect.

Well, it was time to cut off that foot.

But as the lance neared the jutting crystal in Prox Mortis's chest, suddenly it lashed out with one of its forearm blades at Rose Valkyrie. It sliced through the end of Corvus's wing with ease, and Rose Valkyrie flew back out of reach with all its strength as Prox Mortis swung its other blade at them.

To neither Blue nor Pink's surprise, Prox Mortis flew after them. Then it flew _above_ them, leaving the trail of fire from its wings as it went, and dove down. The fire trail engulfed Rose Valkyrie, and Aki screamed at the intensity of the heat searing through the robot's armor, and through her uniform.

"That's not helping!" Pink roared.

The something hit Rose Valkyrie and it went falling end over end out of the sky. Pink followed Blue's lead and let go of the controls, simply bracing for the bone-jarring impact that happened when the robot crashed into the ground a second later.

By the time they'd recovered enough to right themselves in their seats the heat was dying away, but they glanced up and saw Prox Mortis coming in fast.

"We can't win this, Catie! We're totally outgunned!"

"When has that stopped us before?" Pink replied. Without waiting for an answer she seized the controls and forced Rose Valkyrie up. The rising was slow; something important had obviously been hit hard in that landing. But as Prox Mortis came close enough to strike again with its arm blade again, Rose Valkyrie jabbed its lance at the inside of the robot's elbow and knocked it slightly off-balance, causing the blade to miss Rose Valkyrie's head. Probably by inches, not feet.

But Prox Mortis was already swinging its other bladed arm at them. Pink tried to get Rose Valkyrie to dodge backwards, but again the response was sluggish. With a horrible screech, the blade bit into Rose Valkyrie's left shoulder and its arm tumbled to the ground.

"Oh man, Erica's gonna kill us," Blue moaned.

"I don't think she'll have the chance," Pink replied, but forced Rose Valkyrie into a desperate charge with its lance aimed at Prox Mortis's head. With almost comical ease, Prox Mortis caught the robot's arm and then severed it at the wrist. Prox Mortis swung again with one of its giant scythes, this time at Rose Valkyrie's neck.

But ust before the blade sheared through the robot, there was an explosion of light.

Purple light.

"Run, you two!" a voice echoed in Pink and Blue's ears. A shockingly familiar voice.

"Erica?" Blue asked without thinking.

"RUN!"

Pink managed to collect herself enough to get the wings pumping again, and turned Rose Valkyrie away from the battlefield and fly back the way the way they'd come. The flight was a bumpy one with Corvus's damaged wing, but even as Prox Mortis attempted to come after them it was obvious the dark robot was built more for power than speed. In a minute they'd left it behind.

Once she was sure the killer robot was out of sight, Blue glanced out the windscreen and stared at the smooth-skinned being flying beside them, giving off her soft violet light. "Erica, is that you?" she asked again.

She turned to look into the cockpit, and Blue couldn't help recoiling a bit from the blank face looking back at her. The wave was a little reassuring, though. "Hi, Aki. Hi, Catie. Good to see you guys still in the fight. When I saw how many cities were just…gone, I got worried."

Erica looked away from their faces for a second, downward. "What the hell did you two do to my robot?"

"It was the fastest one," Pink explained.

"Don't tell me you never thought I'd be back to use it again."

Blue's stomach tightened as the repercussions of Erica's return—_all_ of them—started to settle in. She found she couldn't come up with anything comradely to say in response to that.

Pink appeared to be having no such trouble. "I needed it because those Shakai didn't think to make another one a single person could use. It's a work of art."

"Speaking of the Shakai," Blue found her voice, "is that where you got your new look?"

"I'll tell you all about it when we meet up with the boys," Erica replied.

"We've got a few things to tell you, too," said Blue.

* * *

Black and Yellow watched apprehensively from StellarFate's cockpit as the looming dark shape grew closer and larger with every second, but relaxed their grips on their controls when they were able to make out Rose Valkyrie.

"What were you thinking, Caitlin?" Bohdi demanded.

"About getting off our asses and taking the fight to Proxordo like we should've this whole time."

"Wait, what's that with you?"

"Hi guys," Erica replied. "When'd you get the new robot?"

"Should we be talking about this now?" Blue interrupted. "Kamandetes has his own huge-ass robot. It's what he used to kill Dracon V, and Catie got his attention and he's probably on his way back here now to finish the job."

Erica pointed above them. "I think we've got other problems!"

"What now-" Pink groaned, then stopped. Above the two robots a whirling white vortex, looking like the top of a tornado, had appeared. It started to expand, and the wind around them whipped up to a frenzy. Windows in the buildings around them shattered. StellarFate started to retreat toward Crux, but the vortex surged down to the ground, enveloping both robots, Erica, and a few of the surrounding buildings.

A moment later, it disappeared.

There was no trace of Stellarman.

* * *

Bohdi clutched his head for a moment, and once he realized he could still do that, he felt an urge not to open his eyes.

His entire body was tingling painfully. It felt…it felt exactly like when he'd come to Earth from Chahi.

If he opened his eyes, would he find himself back on those endless gray wastelands again? Did he dare take the chance that he would?

Had he really fought so long and so hard, to still be afraid of that possibility?

Slowly he managed to pry his tiny black eyes open, and saw the treetops of a verdant jungle. He sat up and saw Caitlin, Cliff, and Aki lying around him, shifted back to normal by the forces of whatever brought them there. The being claiming to be Erica was there as well and already getting up. But of their vehicles, he could see nothing.

"Is everyone all right?" he called.

"If they are now, they won't be for long!" an unfamiliar voice growled. In an instant Bohdi was on his feet, and looking into the visor of a humanoid figure in dark yellow armor. In either hand it held a very sharp-looking axe.

Bohdi grimaced and subtly scanned the surrounding area as thoroughly as he could without taking his eyes off his enemy. There were no sounds of animals nearby; probably they could tell a fight was imminent and had no desire to draw any attention to themselves.

Without warning Bohdi lunged and slammed his shoulder into the Truthbringer's middle. It tried to swing its axes at him but he grabbed its wrists, then hooked his leg around its ankles and swept its feet out from under it.

Bohdi ducked as he heard a whistling noise, and then looked up at the same Truthbringer he'd just knocked on its back. Quickly he somersaulted away from a swing of its axe, and was astounded when he looked up. The Truthbringer he'd knocked down was getting up to stand next to the other one that had just attacked him, which was identical in every way. The another one split off from the first. And yet another split off.

Erica concentrated and a wave of purple light erupted from her body, knocking the gang of Truthbringers down. She was about to spring on the nearest one when out of nowhere, a figure clad from head to toe in bright red lunged at her and slashed her across the midriff with a glimmering sword. When he landed and turned to face them again, there was no mistaking StellarRed.

"It's not him!" Bohdi cried out even as he grabbed one of the armored Truthbringers over his head and body-slammed them into another. "It's that mud monster!"

"Can we really be sure of that?" Caitlin called back.

Bohdi threw another duplicating Truthbringer to the ground and was charging up to the simulacrum of his leader when two more copies got in his way. "Run!" he yelled, and started to charge through the undergrowth away from the growing horde of enemies.

The others, still in their human forms, followed, all except for Erica who'd lost her mask of humanity a long time before. She flew at StellarRed, her form already glowing with Starlight she was gathering for her next attack. Just before she was about to unleash a blast, he dropped his sword and cowered in front of her.

And for the briefest of moments, she hesitated. In that moment StellarRed stood up, formed his arm into a flanged mace of hardened rock and slammed it into her midriff. Erica fired her blast but it went wide and cut down a stand of trees instead. She whipped around to attack again, but "StellarRed" had already morphed into a giant mudball and was bouncing after the rest of the team.

"Oh no you don't!" Erica screamed and flew after them. A second later she saw something that made her stop short. The same thing that had stopped the rest of Stellarman.

A cliff face rose up out of the jungle in front of them, and tied to crosses lodged in it were Daniel and Haikoga. Standing next to Daniel, a claw pressed against his throat as he clenched his teeth anxiously, was Dishadow.

But she'd changed from before. The teeth in her sadistic grin looked even sharper. Small horns had sprouted from her forehead. And her face was sunken, her flesh dried and corpse-like. They didn't have to look too close to be able to see her bones flex beneath her skin.

"Ah, you're all finally here," she said in a dry, raspy voice. "Then you can all die together…" She raised her clawed hand above Daniel.

"Starting with HIM!"

A shriek filled the clearing, the sound of Dishadow's claws cutting through the air toward Daniel's throat…


End file.
